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GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 



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Good Times 
With The Juniors 



By 
LILIAN M. HEATH 



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i i 



United Society of Christian Endeavor 
Boston and Chicago 









Copyright, 1904 
Copyright, 19 15 



1 

APR 21 J9I5 



CIA397747 



P r e f a c e 



"Good times" may be either work or play. But 
work and play — who shall define them truly ? 

Our block houses, toy engines, and dolls once 
seemed intensely real and important to us. They are 
not so now. In the same way, as we grow into the still 
larger consciousness, into the "life more abundant," 
much that we now regard as of grave moment will take 
on a new aspect, and we shall see that it was only 
play. But play is blessed, and necessary to the very 
growth that discards it. 

A dear enthusiast in certain lines of work, who is 
himself growing, I am sure, once publicly expressed 
the belief that too close (!) an adherence to the 
Christian Endeavor pledge results in a kind of 
" paperdolatry " tending toward idleness and pauper- 
ism. Dear, dear ! Can this be true ? 

A look around the social and business world of to- 
day ought to settle the question. We take the look, 
and breathe more freely. Endeavorers here, Endeav- 
or ers there, in places of honor and responsibility — 
what could our good friend have been thinking about ? 
We must be permitted to smile, and think that on 
consideration he will smile, too. In fact, the smile 

5 



6 PREFACE 

cure is the best one for this and all other kinds of 
pessimism. 

Yet we are serious, too. In God's great kinder- 
garten, where we are all scholars, learning through 
our play-work how to live, who shall say which plays 
are most — or least — important ? 

One thing is certain. He who said, " Of such is 
the kingdom of heaven,' ' was speaking of those whose 
only conscious motive was play — natural, graceful, 
happy, loving life-expression. The growth resulting 
was involuntary. With the growth came new im- 
pulses, new activities, and new growth. It is the 
plan, in God's kindergarten. Brother, if we would 
grow, let us not be afraid of play ! 

To those whose loving ministry among the Juniors 
finds frequent occasion for new plans, this little com- 
panion volume to "Eighty Pleasant Evenings" is 
offered by one who has found both joy and growth in 
preparing it. The proportion of the articles original 
with the compiler is larger than in any of her previous 
collections; but ideas from other sources have been 
welcomed and utilized whenever they could be made 
to fit the Juniors' needs. 

Credit for specially contributed articles is due to 
Mr. Vincent Van Marter Beede, Miss Imogen A. 
Storey, Miss Mattie Marie Gamble, Miss Ida M. 
Parmelee, and Miss Alice Chadwick. The aim has 
been to make each evening or afternoon as complete 
as possible in itself. The games described are there- 
fore included in the socials and parties, but in addi- 



PREFACE 7 

tion to the general table of contents a separate index 
of games alone is given, thus helping those who may 
frequently wish to try new combinations. 

With a smile and a prayer the writer sends forth 
this beloved piece of her own life-expression, knowing 
that it will reach just the right hands. 

Yours in Christian Endeavor, 

Lilian M. Heath. 



Contents 



Advertising-Carnival 








118 


Barrel Brigade 








9 1 


Bells of Bonnydingle, The 








155 


Bird Social . 








101 


Boys' Book Party, A 








113 


Card-Pasting . 








"S 


Cinderella Reception 








139 


Climbing the Bean-stalk . 








116 


Evening with " Ads/' An 








42 


Fairy Strawberry Festival, A 








104 


Flower-Show, A 








4i 


For the First of April 








• 75 


Good Giant, The 








> 23 


Good-Luck Social, A 








> 54 


Handkerchief Gymnastics . 








• 97 


Holly and Mistletoe Drill . 








. 146 


House Book 








. 67 


Indian Festival, An . 








. in 


Jack Frost Reception 








. 150 


Jack-Knife and Scissors Party 








. 62 


"Jap" Social, A . 








• 44 


Letter Social . 








. 78 


Making Valentines . 








• 57 







10 



CONTENTS 



Mistress Mary's Contrary Reception . 


. 152 


Mysterious Basket-Bail 


121 


New Kind of Dinner Party, A . 


. 60 


Orange Social ...... 


• 39 


Pansy-Hunt, A .... 


106 


Parlor Athletic Meet, A . 


. . 69 


Parlor Golf Party . 


. 119 


Parlor Mountain-Climb . 


• 93 


Pastery Party, A .... 


• 49 


Pillow-Fight, A 


. 52 


" Polly Pitcher " Social . 


. 66 


Puritan Thanksgiving Dinner, A 


126 


Rainbow Social .... 


96 


Rainy Fourth, A . . 


. 108 


Reception at Curlycue Castle 


. • 63 


Red-Line Jubilee .... 


. 16 


Rope Social, A 


20 


Santa Claus Drill «... 


1 1 


Sky-Parlor Reception, No. I 


• 47 


Sky-Parlor Reception, No. 2 


. . 48 


Star Social ..... 


. 141 


Teddy and the Goblin 


• 13° 


Tropical Fair, A 


. 71 


Turlet and the Web, The 


81 


Washington's Birthday 


. 72 



Good Times With the Juniors. 



Santa Claus Drill. 

By Imogen A. Storey. 



What would " good times " amount to in any well-regulated 
Junior society if they did not begin and end with the Christmas 
holidays ? We begin, then, with a particularly jelly little drill 
for Christmas ; and, as the girls so often have these matters all 
their own way, we will try for a change letting the boys be 
foremost this time. They will enjoy the fun of playing Santa. 
The Sunday-school primary class, too, must be drawn upon. 
— L. M. H. 

An equal number of tiny boys and girls are to be 
used for the first part of the drill. They should be 
dressed in their nightclothes, and each little one 
should carry a pillow under his or her arm, and a 
stocking hung across the shoulder. 

The stage must be decorated with holly, mistletoe, 
and other Christmas greens. A large fireplace should 
occupy the centre rear, shown in Diagram B. A deco- 
rated motto, "A Merry Christmas" may be placed 
above the mantel. The fireplace can easily be con- 

11 



12 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 



structed of brick-colored fireproof paper, which can be 
purchased at any hardware store for a trifle, and with 
a piece of chalk from the blackboard the bricks can be 
imitated. 

On each side, as shown in Diagram A, should stand 
a small Christmas tree trimmed up in the conventional 
way, with the exception of candles, which it is better 
to omit unless great precaution is used to prevent an ac- 
cident. On each tree the lower limbs should be sup- 
plied with hooks corresponding with a buttonhole in 
each stocking, which will enable the little ones to hang 
their stockings quickly and securely on the trees. 

The floor should be laid off for the first part as 
shown in Diagram A. A different color used in lay- 












Diagram A. 

ing off the diagrams for the two parts will be found a 
great help, especially to the smaller children. 

The children enter from the rear, girls from the 
right and boys from the left, or vice versa, carrying 
pillows under their outside arms and stockings across 
the same shoulder, and follow lines R and L in A. 
When they reach the dots shown on these lines, all ex- 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 13 

tend their inside arms diagonally up at the side, and 
grasp the partner's hand. 

When they reach the diagonal lines, they let go 
hands, and turn on these lines, as shown by arrows, 
turning again on the front line. When the leaders reach 
lines R and L, a signal from the piano is given to halt. 
In halting, each should keep a distance of fifteen inches 
from the one in front, the same as in marching. This 
distance should be kept throughout the drill. An- 
other signal is now given to face front, all turning in 
the direction of the inside arm. They now recite with 
gestures : 

" We are going to hang up our stockings " (holding 
stockings out toward the audience) 

" On the Christmas tree " (turning the body just a 
little and pointing to the trees), 

" And we know old Santa will fill them, 

"For we've been good " (girls, pointing to them- 
selves) 

" And we've been good " (boys, pointing to them- 
selves) 

"As good as we could be" (all together). 

" Then we are going up to bed " (pointing up), 

"And go fa-a-a-st asle-e-e-p" (recited very slowly, 
dropping heads on the pillows). 

" So, when old Santa comes " (heads raised), 

"We won't be awake to peep" (peep through fin- 
gers). The music is now resumed, the leaders turn to 
the rear, and follow lines R and L, turning on the 
rear line, and again on the side lines shown in A. 



14 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 



From the side lines they turn on the dotted lines, 
which circle the trees. After circling the trees a few- 
times, with the common skip step familiar to all chil- 
dren, a signal is given to halt. The stockings are 
now hung up, after which the signal is given to get 
back into line. 

After circling the trees a few times more, they con- 
tinue skipping, following the dotted lines to the side 
lines, then to the front line. When the leaders reach 
the front line, they turn on the diagonal lines, resum- 
ing the march very softly and slowly, marching on 
their toes. When the leaders reach lines R and 
L, all turn and throw a kiss to the audience, then 




Diagram B. 



make their exit on the same lines as on entering, still 
on their toes. 

The same number of larger children, all boys dressed 
like old Santa Claus, now enter the fireplace from each 
side, as shown in B, running in double time on their 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 15 

toes. Each boy except the last in each line should 
wear a rein with sleigh-bells on its full length. All 
should be supplied with whips. On their backs old 
Santa's knapsack should be strapped, filled with all 
sorts of things for the stockings. To increase the mer- 
riment, some of the articles should be grotesque and 
funny. 

They enter, each driving the one in front, following 
lines R and L, turning right and left on reaching 
the front line, as shown by the arrows in B, then turn- 
ing again at the next corner as indicated by the ar- 
rows. On reaching the rear they come down the 
diagonal lines curving around the trees, shown by 
arrows, and then to the front line again. They then 
run to the rear on lines R and L, and come down the 
diagonal lines, circling the trees on the dotted and 
curved lines, making a complete circle. After cir- 
cling the trees a signal is given to halt and drop reins. 

They now proceed to fill the stockings, first unstrap- 
ping their knapsacks and laying them on the floor. 
Signal. While the stockings are being filled, the soft, 
slow music should not cease, but continue the same as 
when the little ones are hanging them up. Each 
Santa should stick his whip in the top of a stocking. 

A signal is now given, and the Santas all fall into line, 
and the running is resumed. They circle the trees, 
and follow the diagonal lines to the front line, then turn 
on lines R and L, and make their exit the same as on 
entering. 

For a Sunday-school entertainment the small Santas 



16 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

can be used to distribute the presents to the children in 
the audience after the drill is over. 



Red-Line Jubilee. 

It is worth a great deal to have the right kind of 
memory. Although there are more bright spots than 
shadows in our lives, we are apt to forget this, and let 
the wrong kind of memory fasten itself upon us quite 
unawares. Many would be surprised, if they kept a 
record, to see how far the days with at least some 
gleams of gladness outnumbered the " days that are 
dark and cold and dreary." Try it. For a " red- 
line jubilee" you need to begin a year beforehand. 
At New Year's, or just before, each Junior is to be pre- 
sented with a calendar, and the plan is as follows : 

All that you need is your calendar, a clean pen, and 
a bottle of red ink. Every evening you take out your 
calendar, and, if the day has been a happy one, draw a 
red line all around the date ; if it brought you only 
some gleams of gladness, make a red dot for every 
gleam ; and, if it was a day of sorrow and trouble, un- 
relieved by any brightness, leave the date blank, with 
only its own black line surrounding it. Then, at the 
very end of the year, hold a " red-line jubilee," and 
see whose calendar makes the best showing. As every 
one learns by kindness to others to make his own hap- 
piness instead of being satisfied with any stale, sec- 
ond-hand variety, the red lines will grow more and 
more numerous. To the " red-line jubilee " bring all 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 17 

the calendars for inspection ; let there be a little talk 
from the pastor and a short programme of songs and 
recitations by the Juniors, every one of the cheery 
kind. Here are four that will serve as samples if the 
recitations are to be short enough so that each Junior 
can have one : 

I. 

Smile once in a while ; 

'Twill make your heart seem lighter. 
Smile once in a while ; 

'Twill make your pathway brighter. 
Life's a mirror ; if we smile, 

Smiles come back to greet us ; 
If we 're frowning all the while, 

Frowns forever meet us. 

II. 

There's help in seeming cheerful 

When a body's feeling blue, 
In looking calm and pleasant 

If there's nothing else to do. 
If other folks are wearing, 

And things are all awry, 
Don't vex yourself with caring; 

'Twill be better by and by. 

III. 

There's never a rose in all the world 
But makes some green spray sweeter; 

There's never a wind in all the sky 
But makes some bird-wing fleeter ; 

There's never a star but brings to heaven 
Some silver radiance tender, 



18 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

And never a rosy cloud but helps 
To crown the sunset splendor ; 

No robin but may thrill some heart, 
His dawn-like gladness voicing ; 

God gives us all some small, sweet way 
To set the world rejoicing. 

IV. 

The little sharp vexations, 

And the briers that catch and fret — 
Why not take all to the Helper 

Who has never failed us yet ? 
Tell him about the heartache, 

And tell him the longings, too ; 
Tell him the baffled purpose 

When we scarce know what to do ; 
Then, leaving all our weakness 

With the One divinely strong, 
Forget that we bore the burden, 

And carry away the song. 



If longer selections are wanted, " Cheer Up" and 
"The Bright Side" from " Junior Recitations " are 
both especially suitable. Such a meeting could be 
held the last Sunday in the year ; or it could be made 
a sociable instead of a meeting, and held some even- 
ing during the week. In either case, don't forget to 
invite outsiders and share with them the sunshine that 
is being made. If on a week-night, the programme 
should be very short ; and games, with the refresh- 
ments, should fill the rest of the time. Decorate the 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNlOBS 19 

rooms with red, including red shades over the lights 
if possible, and let a large frosted cake suitably 
marked with red lettering help to make the occasion 
memorable. 

Among the games the variation of tag called " red 
line " could be included if the room is large. Stretch 
a red ribbon across the floor in a straight line, fasten- 
ing the ends with weights or pins. This serves as a 
goal. One of the Juniors who has been chosen " it " 
cries, "Red line!" and starts to chase the other 
players. As soon as he touches one, both return to the 
line ; then these two, clasping hands, start out again and 
touch some one else ; then the three do the same ; and 
so on. When there are four, or any even number, at 
the line, they may go two by two ; but, whenever the 
number is odd, they must all run together in one long 
line. When all are caught, the game begins again, 
the first one caught in the previous game playing " it " 
as the new game is begun. 

A "red-line hunt" would be fun, and could be 
arranged by hiding various small gifts or souvenirs, 
each tied to one end of a red cord, this wound and 
interlaced for some length around furniture, doors, 
etc., each child to be given a free end with the task 
of following the "red line" to its happy conclusion. 
Have each parcel wrapped in white tissue-paper and 
tied with a red ribbon or a bit of red embroidery silk, 
to carry out still further the plan of the evening. The 
gifts themselves should be very simple, and should 
be something equally suitable for boys and girls. 



20 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 



A Rope Social. 

This is best fun when held in a barn, or a large 
attic, if stairways, etc., are safe; and it will prove a 
good opportunity to "rope in" new members, or 
at least to make those who are not members wish that 
they were. There is no programme, though Christian 
Endeavor songs at the beginning and close are in 
order at every Junior social. Girls may bring their 
skipping-ropes ; and, if the place admits of swings, by 
all means put up several stout ones. Introduce the 
game of "rope ring-toss," or "grommet-pitching," as 
it is called by sailors. The rings are made of rope, 
with the strands first separated so as the better to 
weave them into smooth, firm rings about six to ten 
inches across. They are made all of the same size, 
or of graduated sizes, as preferred. If desired, they 
may be wound with ribbon. The game consists in 
throwing these "grommets" over an upright stake, 
or over pegs driven in the wall or in a board, each 
peg being numbered. The players have each a cer- 
tain number of throws, and the score is kept to see 
who is most skilful. 

When tired of this, they may play the game of " pink 
violets/ ' composed of a little delightful nonsense and 
a good deal of running. The song which accompanies 
it may be sung to the tune of "Sing a song of six- 
pence," or to any other that it will fit, or to not much 
of any tune at all. The words are as follows : 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 21 

" Pink, pink violets, and roses bright and blue ! 
A Junior in a prison — whatever shall we do ? 
We'll open the window east, and we'll open the window west, 
And never, never tell if the prisoner does the rest ! " 

The children range themselves in a circle, holding 
a rope to help keep the circle of a uniform size. One 
of them, the prisoner, goes inside the ring ; another, 
the jailer, stands outside. They begin to sing, and at 
the words, " We'll open the window east, and we'll 
open the window west," the players on first one side, 
then the opposite, lift the rope high enough for the 
prisoner to pass under ; but the jailer outside is watch- 
ing. The prisoner may take his choice, but must run 
out at one side or the other before the song stops, and 
must try to run once entirely around the ring before 
being overtaken by the jailer. Those holding the 
rope must neither help nor hinder the runners after 
the start is made, and the openings must be at about 
equal distances from the jailer. If the prisoner can 
run clear around the outside of the ring without being 
overtaken, he takes his place with the rest, between 
the two whose "open window" set him free; the 
former jailer becomes prisoner, the former prisoner's 
right-hand neighbor becomes jailer, and the game 
proceeds as at first. But, if the prisoner is touched 
ever so lightly by the one in chase, he is sent back to 
the centre, where he must remain ; the jailer joins the 
ring anywhere he chooses; his right-hand neighbor 
becomes the new jailer and his left-hand one a new 
prisoner with privilege of escape ; and so the game 



22 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

continues. Each time only the new prisoner may run 
out. Whenever a third of the players are in the 
centie at one time, it ends the game. 

After the enjoyment of the games and swings an old- 
fashioned molasses candy-pull may complete the fes- 
tivities, and, as the Juniors vie with one another in 
pulling and deftly handling these most fascinating 
"ropes" of all as they gradually assume a light 
golden color, the social is sure to be voted a success. 



The Good Giant 

A Fantasy in Two Acts and Two Scenes 

By Vincent Van Marter Beede 



People of the Play 

Kit Loring, a boy of twelve. 

Joscelin Stacey, a boy of ten. 

Maysie Loring, a girl of eleven. 

Gillian Stacey, a girl of twelve. 

The Good Giant Greatbig. 

The Three Happy Little Giants. 

The Giant's Baby. 

Jack the Giant-Lover. 

The Sand Man. 

The Kind Bear. 

The Obliging Ogre. 

The Dear Dragon. 

The Honest Robber. 

The Motherly Giantess. 

The Friendly Witch. 

Time : This Very Minute. 
Scene : Act I. — The Wood. 

Act II. — The Castle of Giant Greatbig. 
23 



24 GOOD TI3IES WITH THE JUNIOES 

Costumes 

Kit, Joscelin, Maysie, Gillian : Summer cloth- 
ing, of the present fashion. 

Giant : A father, uncle, or big brother, tall, deep- 
voiced. Scarlet shirt, loose, elephant-colored jacket and 
knickerbockers, scarlet hose, rough shoes. Needless 
to say, he should be stuffed out as much as possible. 
A scarlet sash stuck full of swords and daggers. An 
alarm-clock, with a brass chain, in his breast-pocket. 
Beard black and full, mustache large and fierce, 
eyebrows corked heavily, nose and cheeks reddened. 
Red bandanna bound about his head. He should 
not look as if he had just stepped out of a bandbox. 

Little Giants : Boys of twelve, the fattest that 
can be found. No matter how fat they are, they 
should be stuffed out, just the same. Fluffy, light 
wigs, short gingham frocks, legs bare except for gay- 
colored socks, — say of emerald, scarlet, and vivid 
blue. Low shoes with a strap across them, after the 
fashion of French dolls. 

Giant's Baby : A boy or girl of ten, well stuffed 
out. White long clothes, tight white cap, ruddy face. 
The Baby should carry a policeman's rattle. 

Jack : A trim boy of eleven, handsomely dressed. 
Brown jacket, slashed with Lincoln green ; long green 
hose, pointed brown shoes. A gilt belt, and a sword and 
a dagger in gilt scabbards. A curling horn slung over 
his shoulder. A small brown cap with green feathers. 

Sand Man : A boy of ten or eleven. Buff or light- 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 25 

gray jacket and knickerbockers, pointed cap, long 
white beard, brown stockings, canvas slippers. A 
sack, apparently filled with sand, slung over his 
shoulders. A sand-pail fastened to a leather belt, and 
in one hand a child's sand-shovel. 

Bear : A good-sized boy of fourteen, with a gruff 
voice. A skin of a polar or black bear thrown about 
loosely-fitting white or black clothing. Clumsy shoes. 
Better still, a regulation costumer's bear's head, a long 
fur coat, and Indian moccasins of fur. 

Ogre : A boy of twelve. Jacket and knickerbock- 
ers in red and white stripes, red sash, high boots. 
Huge nose, brown beard, Turkish fez. 

Dragon : A slim boy of ten or twelve in tight-fit- 
ting clothes striped in orange and red. Gold belt, 
long claws on hands and feet. If possible, a rented 
crocodile's head ; but a head can be constructed of 
red and orange cloth sewed over pasteboard, a large 
cone representing the snout, two smaller cones the 
horns. A long, crinkly tail, — orange and red strips 
wound about a heavy rope. 

Robber : A piratical-looking boy of ten in a green 
jacket, red knickerbockers, and top-boots. A blue 
sash stuck full of weapons, large mustache, wide felt 
hat with green plumes. 

Giantess : A mother, aunt, or big sister, dressed 
to look as large as possible. Yellow gown, a long 
white apron. 

Witch : A nimble little girl of nine or ten. Black, 
pointed cap, black cape and skirt. 



26 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

Scenery 

Act. I. Scene i. The best trees are real ones, 
saplings and evergreens, cut the morning before the 
performance. Painted scenery of course should be 
used to help out. Palms and shrubs can be rented for 
the evening. A great many pieces of candy — say, 
molasses drops wrapped in tissue-paper — should be 
laid in the branches of the sugar-plum tree. The 
bean-stalk can be made of three good-sized poles, set 
close together in openings cut through the stage. The 
tops should go up out of sight of the audience and be 
secured to a platform where actors can hide at the 
right time. The poles should be wound with real 
foliage, or with green tissue-paper. The trunk of the 
telephone tree might be a hollow log, in which a small 
door is cut. The bell and cardboard receiver are hung 
inside the opening. Branches should be skilfully 
thrust into the top of the log, to finish the tree. 
Branches should be heaped also about the " roots' ' 
of all the trees, and the more green things there are 
scattered about the stage, the better. The blunder- 
buss is made by fitting a cardboard horn to the end 
of a rifle, shot-gun, or toy gun ; but the entire weapon 
can be made of wood and cardboard. 

Scene 2. Before the curtain goes up the bean-poles 
should be lifted out of their sockets, and the tops 
loosened and held in place by ropes in the hands of 
actors on the platform above. At the right moment 
the poles are allowed to fall. 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 27 

Act II. The fireplace may be cut through sheets 
of cardboard. A box may be placed in the opening. 
The larger the fireplace, the more giant-like will it 
seem. It would be a very good thing if some of the 
little carpenters in the company could make a huge 
chair, table, and cradle. 



ACT I 

SCENE i. — A clearing in a thick wood. Left, the 
bean-stalk; right, the sugar-plum tree and the 
telephone tree. The four children, Kit, Josce- 
lin, Maysie, Gillian, are discovered, with their 
clothes somewhat torn and mussed. The girls are 
seated on a fallen log. An open and empty lunch- 
basket lies before them. The boys, armed with 
sticks, are moving about. At the rise of the curtain 
Maysie is sobbing. 

Kit. Cheer up, sis. What's the use of crying? 
It isn't so very late, is it, Jos? We can't be many 
miles from home. We've got our compass along, you 
know ; and all we have to do is to keep due east. 

Gillian. I'm sick of our old exploring, anyway ! 
(Sniffling a bit.) 

Joscelin. You make me tired, Gill ! What do we 
care ? 

Gillian. It was your plan, Jos, and you see how 
it has come out. I believe that farmer was telling you 



28 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

a whopper when he said there was a robbers' cave in 
these woods. 

Kit. O no, he wasn't. It is a true story. 
Tommy Field's father says it is. He says people 
have been hunting for the cave a hundred years, and 
that there is treasure 

Maysie {wiping her eyes). I'd rather have a nice 
big piece of bread and molasses than ten million 
rubies, I would ! 

Joscelin. We may find some checkerberries yet. 

{The roaring of a bear, and the trolling of a song, 
heard.) 

The Girls {rushing toward the boys). Oh! Oh! 
Oh ! A bear ! What shall we do ? 

Kit. Hide — and be quick about it ! There — into 
those thick bushes ! {The girls hide at rear.) Jos, 
we've got to defend them ! Wish I had a gun or 
something ! 

Joscelin. I think I had better shin up a tree ! 

Kit. Not a bit of it. Let's hide, though. 

{They do so, peeping out from time to time, and 
flourishing their clubs. The roaring and sing- 
ing become louder. The words of the song, sung 
in a great, gruff voice, are the following.) 

Sing fol de rol de riddle-iddle ay ! 
I am big, and I am strong, 
Happy as the day is long. 

The sheep, they follow trusting at my heels. 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 29 

Upon my shoulders light 
The cooing pigeons white, 

And in my pockets squirrels find their meals. 
Sing fol de rol de riddle-iddle ay ! 

Sing fol de rol de riddle-iddle ay ! 
No brazen club for me ! 
No bloody trickery ! 

No dragging of a princess by the hair ! 
No robbing of birds' nests, 
No eating up of guests, 

No frightening of peasants at a fair ! 
Sing fol de rol de riddle-iddle ay ! 

Enter j right, the Good Giant Greatbig, carrying 
a blunderbuss, and arm in arm with the Kind 
Bear. 

The Good Giant. 

Fee — fi — fo — fum ! 

I smell some boys and girls, I vum ! 

Be they short, or be they tall, 

I'll hunt them out, and kiss them all ! 

Come on, Bear ! I hear breathings. Don't be 
frightened, my dear kids. We wouldn't eat you for 
anything. 

Kit (sticking his head around the tree). Honestly ? 

Giant and Bear. Honestly ! 

Giant. Come out, all of you. I want to talk 
with you. {The children come forward, the girls 
more timidly than the boys. The girls scream when 
the Bear offers his paw and hugs them gently. The 



30 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

boys, too, are hugged, to their amusement. Giant 
kisses the children.') How do you happen to be in the 
middle of the wood, all by yourselves, at this time of 
day? 

Joscelin. We're lost. We have been trying to 
find the robbers' cave. Say, are you a real giant ? 

Giant. Of course, my boy. Do I appear like a 
midget ? I am not only a giant, but the last of the 
giants. My uncle was the famous Two-Headed 
Giant, and my fourteenth cousin was slain by Jack 
the Giant-Killer. 

Kit. Is he alive ? 

Giant. Very much so, I can assure you. Do you 
know, he's my only enemy? To tell the truth, I'm 
mortally afraid of him. He's a terrible boy. He's 
sure death on giants, and will never believe that I'm 
not as bad as my relatives. I'm afraid he'll get the 
best of me some fine day. 

Gillian. Please, sir, how can we get home? I 
want to go, awfully bad ! 

Giant. Well, now, little girl, I'll see that you get 
home safely, never fear. But, dear me, you are the 
first children that I have met in these deep woods. I 
generally go about at night to keep out of the way of 
Jack, the Giant-Killer, but my wife wanted me to 
shoot a few eagles for supper. 

Joscelin. Can you tell us where the robbers' cave 
is? 

Bear. I live in it. 

Kit. Is there treasure ? 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 31 

Bear. O, a few pecks of emeralds; that's all. I 
threw most of them away. They are very uncomfort- 
able to lie on. 

Joscelin. Where are the robbers ? 

Bear. Dead, all except the captain. He has 
turned honest, and lives with the Giant. 

Giant (who has been gazing upward*). Hi! 
There's an eagle ! [Raises blunderbuss. Children 
stop their ears. He fires. An eagle drops at his 
feet.) And there's a crow ! (Shoots again. A 
bunch of black feathers floats down.) I've only 
clipped his tail-feathers ! How ridiculous the bird 
must look ! Listen, children. If you start for home 
now, it will be dark before you get there. Why can't 
you spend the night at my castle ? 

Kit. Our parents would 

Giant. I know. You think your people will be 
anxious. I'll telephone them. (Goes to the tree at 
the right, opens a little door in the trunk, takes down 
a telephone receiver, and rings the bell.) What's your 
number ? Cucumber ? (Rings bell again.) 

Kit. No. It's 333. 

Giant (speak i?ig into the telephone). Give me 333. 
Thank you. Who is this? Mr. Loring ? This is 
Mr. Greatbig. I found some of your little relatives 
lost in the wood, and they are going to stay at my 
house over night. Don't be alarmed. They will 
come home in the morning. Good-by. I didn't give 
him a chance to say " No." 

Bear. Are you hungry, children ? 



32 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

Maysie. Terribly ! 

Bear. Then I'd better shake the sugar-plum 
tree. 

{Shakes a tree, right. Shower of candy. The 
children scramble for it. Clear sound of a horn. ) 

Giant Qnuch disturbed}. Fee — fi — fo — fum ! 
Jack's horn ! Children, I beg of you to escape with 
me, or I am done for. Here — up this bean-stalk ! 

{A louder blast from the horn. Bear and Giant 
boost the boys up the bean-stalk, left.} 

Giant and Bear. Hurry ! Hurry ! 



CURTAIN. 



SCENE II. — The same. Jack the Giant-Killer is 
chopping furiously at the bean-stalk. His horn, 
his lantern, and his sword lie near at hand. 

Voice of Kit {from above). Too late, Jacky, my 
boy. We've chopped off our end of the stalk; so 
we're safe and sound. 

{Shower of beans falls on Jack.) 



CURTAIN. 



GOOD TIMES WITH TUE JUNIORS 33 

ACT II. 

SCENE i. — A room in Giant Greatbig's Castle. 
Rear, left, window ; fireplace, with lighted candle 
on the mantel, centre ; door, right, rear. Bare 
wooden floor. Left, a big cradle, containing the 
Giant's baby. A rocking-chair next the cradle. 
Right, a rude table, on it a drinking-mug as large 
as a bucket. Smoke-stained walls. At the rise, a 
ring-around dance is going on to lively music. 
Those dancing are the Giant, the Bear, the Dear 
Dragon, the Obliging Ogre, and the four lost 
children. The Motherly Giantess stands at 
right, beating time with a potato-masher on a chop- 
ping-bowl. The door bursts open. Enter the 
Three Happy Little Giants in great excitement. 

First H. L. G. O papa ! papa ! 

(Dance and music cease.) 

Giant. What is it, my child ? 

First H. L. G. Why, we peeped over the edge of 
the bean-stalk cliff, and Jack chopped the stalk down, 
and it fell on his leg, and he lies there groaning ! 

Giantess. The poor fellow ! Hub, what are you 
going to do about it ? 

Giant. We must help the lad. Boys, get the 
rope ladder. {They do so.) 

Obliging Ogre. Here, give it to me. What is an 
ogre for if not to be obliging ? Come on, everybody ! 

[Exeunt all but Giantess. 



34 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

Enter through window, left, the Friendly Witch 
and her broomstick. 

Witch. Good-evening, Mrs. Greatbig. 

Giantess. Goo — good-evening ! How you start- 
led me ! What have you been doing to-day ? 

Witch. O, sweeping cobwebs off the sky, so that 
it will be bright and pleasant for picnics to-morrow. 
I cleaned soot out of chimneys to save work for the 
poor little sweep-boys, and I gave old men and women 
diamond spectacles with gold rims so that they can 
read without hurting their eyes. 

Giantess. You are a good soul indeed. 

Witch. O, no, I'm not. I'm just reporting prog- 
ress. And I dropped chocolates, and caps with 
lavender ribbons, through the open windows of Old 
Ladies' Homes. 

Giantess. Lovely ! lovely ! 

Witch. But the best fun of all was giving a breath 
of air to fifty poor women who work in city factories. 
I rode them on my broomstick three or four hundred 
miles or so. One dear thing cracked her funny-bone 
on the north star. I didn't mean to brush by so 
closely. {Enter the Ogre and the Giant, supporting 
Jack, whose leg is neatly bandaged. The other people 
follow. Jack is placed i?i the rocking-chair, by the 
fire.') I can make his leg well, quick as a wink ! 
{She touches Jack's leg with her broomstick. He 
pulls off the bandage, and capers about delightedly.) 

Jack. Thank you, dear Witch. Giant Greatbig, I 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 35 

am more sorry than I can say that I have hounded 
you all this time. I never suspected that you were a 
good giant. You know the kind of man your uncle 
used to be. 

Giant {shaking hands with Jack). Well, now we 
are good friends, aren't we, hey? 

Jack. You know I'm an orphan. I wonder if you 
would care to adopt me. 

Giant. A very good plan. I know you will set a 
good example to my boys, and make yourself useful 
generally. 

Giantess (hugging Jack). You dear child, you ! 
To think that an hour ago I dreaded to hear your 
very name spoken ! My ! How muscular you are ! 

Jack. Dear Mr. and Mrs. Greatbig, I would like 
to change my name. Hereafter I wish to be known 
as Jack the Giant-Lover. 

(All cheer and clap their hands. The Dear 
Dragon, after embracing Jack, goes to centre 

and recites*) : 

O, once I was a Nawful Thing — a dread to man and child. 
I snorted and cavorted till the villagers went wild. 
I ate a church and steeple and three hundred pews of people, 
And then I waved my crinkly tail, and bellowed, bowed, and 
smiled. 

Of course I was a favorite when July Fourth came round, 
For my firework and my smoke-murk were the finest to be 

found . 
Why, people paid a dollar just to hear my mighty holler, 
And when I breathed out ten-foot flames they fell flat on the 

ground. 



36 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

To shorten my biography, I'll whisper what befell. 
A fire-brigade it was that made me anything but well. 
They played the hose, and soaked me, and with their wall- 
hooks poked me, 
Until I crawled away more wet and sore than I can tell. 

I took a cold, and nearly died. When I grew strong again, 
I could no more breathe flames, and roar from my grim 

mountain den. 
I had no great desire, sir, to scorch the fields with fire, sir, 
Or to make my meals of churches filled with chubby village 

men. 

{Loud rapping heard.) 

Giant. Come in ! 

Enter the Honest Robber. 

Robber. Hollo, everybody. Having a tea-party, 
Mrs. Giantess? 

Giantess. O, no. Hub picked up some nice lost 
children in the wood, and here they are. Children, 
this is Rob Highway, the Honest Robber. 

{The Honest Robber shakes hands with all the 
children.) 

Giant {drinking from his mug). Well, Rob, my 
boy, how have you been making yourself useful to-day ? 

Robber. This morning I went to the dog-pound 
with a furniture-van, and filled it cram-full of lost 
puppies — cram- full, children. You never heard such 
a growling and yowling in your life. I drove slowly, 
and whenever I heard a child crying: "I want my 
dog ! He's lost I " I'd say, " Describe him, M and it 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 37 

wasn't long, generally, before the dog and his little 
master were in each other's arms. 

Kit. Hurrah for you, old man ! 

Joscelin. What else did you do ? 

Robber. This evening I have chased seventeen 
burglars and taken away their stolen goods from them. 

Maysie. Did you keep the things yourself ? 

Robber. Fie, fie, no ! I'm an Honest Robber. 
I restored the property, and made a hundred dollars 
reward. 

(A distant clock strikes twelve ', and the Giant's 
alarm-clock goes off in his pocket. He takes it 
out hurriedly. ) 

Giant. Yes, I am correct. Gracious, children, 
it's very late for you to be up ! My dear, shouldn't 
they go to sleep at once ? 

Giantess. Yes, by all means, hub. I've been so 
excited I forgot all about such a thing as bedtime. 

[Exit, left. 

Giant. I'll telephone for the Sand Man. {Goes 
to the telephone at the right of the fireplace.') 128 
Seashore, please. Hollo, Sandy. Take the first gust 
of wind for Castle Greatbig. He'll be here in a mo- 
ment, children. 

Enter Giantess, left, with green boughs. 

Giantess {strewing boughs on the floor). Sit right 
down, chickabiddies. {The Lorings and Staceys 
and the children of the Giant sit dow?i together.') 



38 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

Giant. Good-night, children. My helpers and I 
have an important piece of work to do between now 
and sunrise. We are going to carry a dozen or two 
tenement-houses from the city into the country, and 
set them down gently in green fields. 

Gillian. Won't the children be surprised and 
happy when they wake up ! 

Bear. And in place of the houses we shall lay out 
a beautiful playground for the poor children who are 
left in the neighborhood. Good night, all ! 

Children. Good night ! 

Jack. Good night ! 

Ogre. Good night ! 

Children. Good night ! 

Dragon. Happy dreams ! 

Children. Good night! 

Robber. Good night ! 

Children. Good night ! 

Witch. Good night ! [Exit by the window. 

Giant. I'll be back in the morning to see that you 
get home safely. Good night ! 

Children and Giantess. Good night ! 

Enter Sand Man, softly, by door, right, without 
rapping. Giantess nods to him, then blows 
out all but one candle. The Sand Man waves 
his hand. The children sink back on the boughs. 
He then casts a little imaginary sand from his 
bag into each eye, and goes out as softly as he 
came. Giantess takes up her baby from the 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 39 

cradle, left. It squalls. She hushes it, seats 
herself in a rocking-chair, centre, and sings this 
lullaby : 

B-a, ba, b-o, bo, 

B-i, bi, baby bye. 
Mamma's little Giant is tired of all his play, 
Tired of all the mischief he has done to-day ; 
Tired of pulling pine-trees clear up by the roots. 
Go to sleep, my Giant, my six-foot Tootsy-Woots ! 
(Children snore.) 

CURTAIN. 



Orange Social. 

Have bunches of yellow flowers pinned to draperies 
and in other places where the romping will not cause 
breakages. All the other decorations, as far as possi- 
ble, should be of the same cheerful hue. Some one 
may give a brief talk describing " The Children that 
Live where Oranges Grow," illustrated by stereop- 
ticon or by some of the Perry Pictures. This, if care- 
fully prepared, can be made very interesting to chil- 
dren of colder climates than those of sunny Italy and 
our own South. Missionary features may be intro- 
duced if desired. 

After the talk have the decks cleared for action. 
Did you ever see, or participate in, a game of orange 
croquet ? If not, you have missed a great deal of fun. 
It is merely parlor croquet, with oranges for balls, um- 



40 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

brella-handles for mallets, and big books placed tent- 
wise upon the floor for wickets. An umpire could be 
improvised out of an orange, a squash, and four or five 
sticks or clothes-pins. Cut the features in the orange- 
peel with a penknife, fasten the orange head and the 
squash body together with a short stick whittled sharp 
at the ends, insert the clothes-pins for arms and legs, 
and your umpire is complete. 

Following the croquet may be the game of "Mr. 
Woodenhead." A strip of orange- colored cambric is 
stretched on the floor, across the room, to form a race- 
course. At one end place a large tray of oranges, at 
the other an empty basket. The game is to see who 
in a given time can carry the most oranges safely 
across the room, from tray to basket, with the aid only 
of a wooden spoon. A jolly face painted or carved on 
the outside of the bowl of the spoon, and a large yel- 
low bow tied on for a cravat, turns the spoon into 
" Mr. Woodenhead." He may be presented as a sou- 
venir to the winner of the race. 

Refreshments may be sandwiches, lemonade, and 
orange squares, or other plain cake with orange icing. 
As the children are about to go home, they may be 
given each a missionary mite-box in the form of an 
orange, to fill for the benefit of some mission field ; or, 
if it has not been a missionary social, a souvenir that 
would please any child is a little basket cut out of the 
peel of an orange, using half, with a strip of peel from 
the other half left on for a handle, the basket so made 
to be filled with candies. 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 41 

A Flower Show. 

Each boy or girl represents a flower. Every one 
jots down the names of the other guests and the names 
of the flowers which he supposes they are. The re- 
ward for the most names might be a dozen roses, and 
for the least a pair of sunflowers, or a bunch of squash- 
blossoms, or a geranium growing in a bright-colored 
tin can. Here are some hints for costumes : 

i. Pennyroyal. An English penny hung from the 
neck by a ribbon. 

2. Oxeye. A target painted on a card. An arrow 
is sticking through the " bull's-eye." 

3. Monk's-hood. A boy wearing a monk's cowl, 
or perhaps the complete dress of a monk. 

4. Goldenrod. The boy or girl carries a brass cur- 
tain-rod. 

5. Hop. The boy or girl must occasionally hop on 
one foot. 

6. Four-o'clock, or Thyme, either one. A clock 
hung from the neck is set at four o'clock. 

7. Elder. A boy is made to appear like an old 
man. His hair is dusted with flour, and wrinkles are 
painted on his face. He should lean on a staff, and 
wear spectacles. 

8. Broom. A girl dressed like a housekeeper car- 
ries a tiny broom. 

9. Rocket (rock it). A girl is rocking her doll in a 
cradle. 

10. Sage. A solemn, wise-looking boy in spec- 



42 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

tacles, top hat, and long trousers. He must frequently 
peep into a large book. 

n. Sweet-william. A boy named William should 
wear a necklace made of lumps of sugar. 

12. Jonquil. A boy named John, wearing quills in 
every available place. 

When the guessing and refreshments are over, a 
floral game which might be added is that of " Red and 
White Roses.' ' Sixteen can play. Tie a narrow strip 
of cloth to one sleeve of each Junior, eight of the strips 
white and eight red, to distinguish the Red from the 
White Roses. Appoint a captain from each side, or 
let one be chosen by " counting out." Determine in 
the same way which side shall move first. Spread a 
sheet on the floor ; mark it off with black crayon in 
sixteen squares, four on a side ; and you are ready. 
The object of each division is to get four players of its 
own color in a row, either straight or diagonally. The 
first captain begins by placing himself on any square 
he chooses. The captain from the other side does the 
same, and the other players follow, one from each side 
moving alternately and trying to secure the row of red 
or white roses as the case may be. This game, be- 
lieved to be a new one, is likely to prove a favorite. 

An Evening with " Ads." 

Set the Juniors to collecting clever pictorial adver- 
tisements, omitting, of course, the liquor and tobacco 
ones. Each might learn what facts he can, of general 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 43 

interest, regarding the trade-mark chosen or the busi- 
ness represented in connection with the pictures he 
has selected. Then the Juniors invite their friends, 
young and old, to a social "evening with ads." 

The pictures are pinned by the Juniors to a large 
sheet previously fastened to the wall. After they have 
been thoroughly examined by the guests, they are taken 
down and distributed by the Juniors. One picture, 
together with paper and pencil, is given to each guest, 
who is then requested to write, in verse, a few lines to 
fit the picture. After this all are called upon to read 
what has been written. For example, a shirt-maker 
has an advertisement showing the picture of the back 
of a man's head labelled, "This is Tom; meet me 
face to face," with the question, "Am I Irish or 
Scotch? " written above it. The rhyme produced to 
fit it was as follows : 

" Can this be Tom, the piper's son, 

Of pork-abstracting fame ? 
If so, he must be Irish, sure, 

The pig could prove that same ! 
And Irish linen shirts, you know, 

Must be the very best ; 
So buy your goods henceforth of Tom ; 

You'll find they stand the test." 

The papers are collected and put in a safe place, 
after which a vote is taken on the merits of the various 
effusions. 

The pictures are then again distributed, this time to 
their owners among the Juniors, who have been mak- 



44 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

ing them a special study, and each Junior who is pre- 
pared tells a fact or two in regard to one of the pic- 
tures. The trade-mark of a certain popular brand of 
cocoa originated in Holland more than two hundred 
years ago, and no doubt the way in which it came to be 
chosen would make an interesting story. These inci- 
dents will bring out still other similar facts which the 
guests may happen to know regarding the advertise- 
ments, and a half-hour or so will thus pass pleasantly 
and instructively to all. 

Refreshments may consist of some of the articles 
advertised, or of sandwiches, apple salad, small cakes, 
and lemonade, or, if in the proper season, hot maple 
syrup and biscuit at a charge of twenty cents a plate. 
If so voted, a more or less extended report of the 
evening's entertainment may be sent to the newspaper ; 
and a marked copy may be sent to the firm whose 
unique picture advertisement won the popular vote. 
This should be accompanied by a letter of explana- 
tion. 

A "Jap" Social. 

Have you ever seen the pretty little Japanese cot- 
tages in Jackson Park, Chicago, with their quaint dec- 
orations looking as if they had been transported in 
some really magical way from the land of the lotus 
blossom ? It was looking at these that gave me the 
idea of a " Jap social " for the Juniors. 

Arrange Japanese fans, parasols, and lanterns about 
the room, lay down strips or rugs of Japanese matting, 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 



45 



and partition off various cosey nooks with Japanese 
screens. Have no chairs, but plenty of cushions in- 
stead. As to flowers, they can be chosen from a long 
list — chrysanthemums, white lilies and roses, purple 
Canterbury bells, cherry blossoms, clematis, yellow 
and white water-lilies ; the pink lotus and white feath- 
ery orchid are not so easy to procure, but might be 
imitated, perhaps, with paper. At one such social 
the walls were entirely covered with branches of trees 
sprinkled thickly with cherry blossoms made of pink 
paper, representing the beautiful gardens of Tokyo. 

This would be a good 
occasion for the Juniors to 
entertain strangers and 
" grown-ups,' ' and charge 
an admission fee, as it can 
be made very pretty and 
interesting. 

Costumes for the Juniors 
can be improvised from 
flowered silk or cotton 
draperies with a little bast- 
ing, a twist here, and a pin 
there, such as deft fingers 
can give. Do not forget 
the obiy or broad sash, the flowing sleeves, and the 
fans, for the little girls. One of the boys might wear 
a straw rain-coat, which is strictly Japanese, and is 
made as shown in the picture. Another boy might 
be a water-carrier, dressed in dark-blue cotton and 




46 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

bearing a yoke on his shoulders, from each end of 
which hangs a wooden water-pail. 

The bells of Japan have a remarkably musical, 
silvery tone ; tradition says that the finest have much 
silver in their composition, which may account for 
their deep and wonderful sweetness. Whether this be 
true or not, they are much more musical than Japanese 
music itself. They are not sounded by a clapper 
within, but are struck from the outside, by a sort of 
wooden arm or battering-ram. This might be imitated, 
by a little experimenting. 

Tables should be placed around, containing curios 
and Japanese ware for sale, including blotters and 
other small articles decorated in Japanese designs, 
some of which can be prepared by the Juniors them- 
selves ; also real Japanese boxes and trays ; the fine 
Japanese colored photographs procured from the United 
Society of Christian Endeavor ; and the quaint Japa- 
nese dolls. Coins from Japan, if procurable, will be 
of interest. 

Among the articles for sale should be the toy called 
by Japanese children "Daruma San, M or "Mr. 
Daruma." It is a strong pasteboard figure of an old 
man in a squatting position, and is so rounded and 
weighted at the bottom that it will always bob up in a 
sitting posture, no matter how often one may knock it 
over. Another toy still more interesting is the 
1 ' Ukibara. ' ' These perfectly plain-looking little paper 
sticks are magical in their possibilities, for when 
placed in water they act as if they were alive, unfold- 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 47 

ing and floating around in the form of brightly col- 
ored fishes, flowers, fruits, animals, and many other 
pretty and curious things. Children, and older peo- 
ple, too, will watch them a long time without tiring 
of the amusement. They come in envelopes. An 
outfit costs fifteen cents, and can also be procured from 
the United Society. 

Stories and recitations about Japan are in order. A 
fan drill by a number of girls would be a pretty feature 
to introduce, if desired, even though not new enough 
to claim space for description here. 

Refreshments might include tea for the grown-up 
guests, sandwiches for all, small bowls of rice to be 
eaten with chopsticks, hot ears of roasted sweet corn 
on a pretty Japanese tray, and a variety of sweet 
cakes. All should be served on tiny square individual 
tables about six inches high ; and, if any one com- 
plains at being obliged to fold himself up like an um- 
brella in order to partake of these delicacies, tell him 
that his complaints cannot be understood unless he 
will consent to express them in Japanese. But, as 
every one is extremely polite in Japan, there will prob- 
ably be no trouble of this kind. 

Sky-Parlor Reception, No. i. 

An attic is usually a wonderland of delight to any 
normal child, whether a reader of Sara Crewe's 
charming adventures or not ; but it is a wonderland 
too little explored. A large, clean, light, old-fash- 
ioned attic may be utilized in turn for a reception-hall, 



48 QOOD TIME8 WITH THE JUNIORS 

curiosity-shop, library, work-room, dramatic recital, 
and romping-ground. Its possibilities are great, and 
would fill several afternoons. One such occasion 
might be as follows \ 

Let the Juniors be received with more or less cere- 
mony by the committee of large or small folk who 
are acting as hosts and hostesses. If old-fashioned 
costumes are worn by those receiving, it adds to the 
fun. After the arrival in the " sky-parlor, M the 
guests are privileged to have a sight of any antique 
relics that have curious stories connected with them. 
If a nice grandma can be found to tell the stories, so 
much the better ; but it is to be hoped that she will 
not prove too fascinating if there is to be any work 
done. 

Tables are placed around in light portions of the 
attic, spread with piles of old papers and magazines, 
and a pair of scissors and a chair for each child. 
The Juniors look through the periodicals, and clip 
pictures, and perhaps stories also, that they think 
would be good for future scrap-book use, placing them 
in boxes, to be sorted next time. Rosy apples, nuts, 
and pop-corn will be acceptable after their arduous 
labors, and the Juniors will go home quite ready to 
come again the very next Saturday afternoon. 

Sky-Parlor Reception, No. 2. 

This time a corner of the attic is transformed into a 
representation of Sara Crewe's odd little room, so 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 49 

cleverly and mysteriously changed from dismal bare- 
ness to cosey luxury by the East Indian friend next 
door. There should be a cot, cushions, rugs, dra- 
peries, quaint Oriental ornaments, and last, but not 
least, the three essentials — Sara herself, her long-suf- 
fering doll, and the monkey. A toy monkey will do. 
The story may be read — and more or less acted, if de- 
sired — for the entertainment of the children. 

Either before or afterward some of the clippings 
may be sorted ready for scrap-books ; and a few such 
afternoons of mingled work and play will be among 
the brightest experiences of the Juniors. 

A Pastery Party. 

Be very mysterious in your remarks about what is 
to go on at this party, answering all questions by 
whispering in the ears of your friends : " Why, don't 
you know what a pastery party is like? I'm really 
surprised ! " 

There is pastry and pastry. A pastery party, to 
keep the secret no longer, is a scrap-book party, noth- 
ing more. O, but it's fun ! Try it. Get hold of a 
lot of illustrated periodicals ; the more guests you have, 
the more magazines you need. If you can find 
colored picture cards besides, all the better. Ask 
your mother to make enough flour paste to fill 
several cups. Fifteen or twenty guests are not too 
many. A sheet, an old table-cloth, or neat pieces of 
wrapping-paper should be spread on the table or 



50 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

tables. There must be plenty of elbow-room for 
scrap-booking. 

A pastery party need not be an expensive affair. I 
once had three dozen scrap-books made for about two 
dollars and fifty cents. This is the way I went about 
it : Down at the wholesale wrapping-paper store I 
bought a good-sized pile of sheets left over from a 
large order. The paper was manila, smooth, and not 
too thin or too thick. I cannot remember the exact 
measurements. At any rate, the old binder up-town 
cut them into two sizes, and the smaller size, eight by 
fifteen inches, is the best for a pastery party. There 
should not be more than twenty pages in a book. My 
covers were of terra-cotta cartridge-paper. Any me- 
dium heavy paper will do. If you wish to be econom- 
ical, you can stitch each book with a single piece of 
string, punching the holes with a scissors-blade. The 
books should be numbered. 

When the guests, seated at the tables, are waiting 
for the pie (or something) to be brought on, you and 
your assistants should enter, dressed in chefs' aprons 
and caps, from the kitchen, first with a trayful of 
paste-cups, which you should set on the table in a very 
dignified manner, one cup for each guest. Maybe 
the guests will peer into their cups, and wonder 
whether they are expected to eat their custard without 
any spoons ! As soon as they catch sight of the mu- 
cilage-brushes — which can be procured cheaply at the 
stationer's — and the scissors, they will begin to sus- 
pect what is meant by the word " pastery.' ' Bring 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 51 

on next the scrap-books and the magazines, and tell 
your friends that at the end of an hour of " scrapping " 
rewards will be given by three grown-up judges for (i) 
the neatest and best-arranged book, (2) for the book 
containing the largest number of pictures, and (3) for 
the book which is filled first. 

The time-limit should be exact. Every person 
should write down on a piece of paper the number 
marked on the cover of his book, and next to the 
number his own name. The books should be carried 
to the judges, who are seated up-stairs in a room with 
closed doors. Not until they have announced the 
winning numbers will they be furnished with the slips 
of paper containing the names to which the numbers 
belong. By taking these precautions the contest will 
be absolutely fair. The scrap-books should be given 
next day to the children's ward of a hospital, or to the 
children's room in a library. Each pastery-cook's 
name should be written in his book, and under the 
names of the successful competitors should be set down 
what rewards they won. 

The rewards might be these : A handsome scrap- 
book, a bottle of library paste, and a pair of scissors. 
While the judges are deciding, the company might 
play "Jenkins up!" or cut paper dolls. The re- 
freshments might be miniature apple-pies, the size of a 
small saucer, for each guest. After the party is over 
ask those guests who did not have time to paste their 
books full kindly to do so at home and return them to 
the hostess as soon as possible. 



52 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

A Pillow-Fight. 

To prepare for this, the Juniors will be busy collect- 
ing " ammunition " for some time, from all quarters — 
woods and fields, garden and lawn, library and sew- 
ing-room. When there is enough, they can have their 
pillow-fight. In fact, they may need to have several 
of them. 

First, the various pillows, or cushions, must be 
made. The girls can first make the plain, square, 
muslin foundation bags, and then embroider covers 
for them, or they can make the covers by sewing 
bright ribbons together in strips, or by crocheting 
them, or in various other ways to suit their own taste. 
?ach Junior girl, from the oldest to the youngest, will 
want to make one. 

Meanwhile, both boys and girls can collect, prepare, 
and sort the materials for filling them. Some can be 
filled with cotton, with a little sachet-powder sprinkled 
in ; others, with paper torn into small pieces ; others, 
with pine needles ; others, with dried rose-leaves — or 
the rose-leaves, if not very plentiful, may be mixed 
with bits of paper, or used with cotton instead of 
sachet-powder. The clean, fine inner husks of corn, 
torn into shreds, and dried, make excellent ones ; and 
a recent fancy is for pillows filled with dried autumn 
leaves. I would not advise feathers ; they are not so 
inexpensive, and are usually too much trouble when 
flying about in a room full of people. The other 
materials named above are all easy to manage, and 



GOOD TI3IES WITH THE JUNIORS 53 

still other good ones will be likely to occur to the 
Juniors and their friends. 

When the foundation pillows are filled and sewed 
up, which in itself will be both fun and work for the 
whole society, and before the decorated covers are put 
on, is the time to have the pillow-fight. Divide the 
Juniors into two companies ; line them up across the 
room from one another, with their ammunition ; and 
if they are normal children they will need no instruc- 
tions how to proceed. The pillows are " fired' ' mer- 
rily back and forth until one company or the other is 
driven from its stronghold or has had all its ammuni- 
tion confiscated by the opposing forces. It is a good 
test of the sewing, too; for, unless the stitches are 
secure, there may be a sudden shower of rose-leaves, 
paper snowflakes, or autumn treasures, when least ex- 
pected. 

Nuts and apples, or other simple refreshments, will 
be welcome when the battle is over. The outside 
covers are then put on the pillows, and the last bit of 
sewing — the one seam left open in the pretty cover — 
may be finished if there is time, or taken home by the 
Juniors to be completed there. The pillows, when 
done, may be either sold at a fair or given to some 
home for invalids, where there never can be too many 
or too great a variety. If the latter plan is adopted, 
a cheering message, either a comforting verse from the 
Bible — the health promises are the best, and will often 
do what the doctor's medicine cannot — or a bit of 
sunshine from some bright or restful poem may be 



54 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

written on a slip of paper and pinned to each pillow. 
Selecting, writing, and attaching these will make more 
pleasant work for the Juniors, which may be done 
separately or together. 

A Good-Luck Social. 

For a late October social, perhaps for a Hallowe'en 
frolic, this will be liked by many ; but it is good at any 
time of the year. 

A good-luck fairy, or witch, in a long red cloak and 
high pointed hat, should be mistress of ceremonies. 
If the time is Hallowe'en, the rooms may be lighted 
with Jack-o'-lanterns. One doorway may have a por- 
tiere of apples hung on strings of different lengths. 
The tallest Juniors are to stoop and " bite " for those 
hanging on the longest strings ; the shorter ones reach 
for those above, in the same way. In the middle of 
this portiere hangs a horseshoe, and for the first game 
let the Juniors each try to throw three tiny apples be- 
tween the prongs of the horseshoe. Those successful 
in doing so are supposed to have good luck through- 
out the coming year. 

Another game that might be played is apple-shoot- 
ing. Place apples of distinctive colors, red, yellow, 
and green, afloat in a tub of water, and let the Jun- 
iors shoot at them with toy bows and arrows. To 
fire an arrow into a red apple assures one of good 
health ; to shoot a yellow one means wealth ; and 
those who succeed in hitting the green ones are to 
have some especial piece of great good luck. 



GOOD TI3TES WITH THE JUNIORS 55 

Arrange the chairs in the form of a horseshoe, and 
seat the Juniors, all except two — one who goes out of 
the room, and one who acts as " reporter, " and must 
have a good memory. This is the game of " wishes 
and compliments.' ' Each player makes a remark or 
wish concerning the one out of the room. For in- 
stance, one says, " She wears a wig." Another, "I 
wish she would sing a song." A third, " She can't 
sing a note." A fourth, " She can recite beautifully." 
A fifth, " 1 wish she may go to Africa as a mission- 
ary." A sixth, "She is dreadfully conceited." A 
seventh, " She is the best scholar in her class," etc. 
The "compliments" will not all be of the most flat- 
tering kind, and the wishes will be either sensible or 
nonsensical ones, as occur to the wishers. Then the 
reporter calls in the absent one, tells her that one per- 
son has said so-and-so about her, and asks her to guess 
from the remark who the person is. She has only one 
guess for each remark. As soon as she guesses one 
correctly, the one thus discovered must take her place ; 
and so on throughout the game. 

This game might be followed by a number of " good- 
luck stories," each Junior telling the best piece of good 
luck, as he considers it, that ever happened to him. 

A hunt for four-leaf clovers, of which there may be 
a hundred or more made of green paper and hidden 
about the rooms, will be enjoyed. The one who finds 
the most may be rewarded either by some trifle like a 
pin-tray or by a stick-pin in the form of a four-leaf 
clover or horseshoe \ or, if he is one of the younger 



56 GOOD TI3IES WITH THE JUNIORS 

Juniors, by a copy of that charming little book for 
children, by Mrs. Annie Rix Militz, " The Wonderful 
Wishers of Wishing-Well." 

Again the Juniors may be seated in their horseshoe 
row, and play the game of " wishes and results," 
which is quite different from the other wishing game. 
Each is given a slip of paper and a pencil, and is 
asked to write his greatest wish. These slips are then 
collected and others passed, on which each player an- 
swers the question, " What do you think would hap- 
pen if you should have your wish ? " These " results " 
are collected as were the wishes, and after thoroughly 
mixing the slips, but keeping the two sets separate, 
each set is numbered from one up, and the wishes and 
results are then read in pairs, according to number ; 
the results, as might be expected, often proving amus- 
ingly inappropriate to the wishes. 

Refreshments may be apples roasted and corn 
popped by the Juniors themselves, to which may be 
added nuts, lemonade, and cookies in the shape of 
horseshoes and four-leaf clovers. Just before the 
close, the good-luck fairy or some other " grown-up* ' 
should give a short talk clearly explaining the truth 
that every person really controls his own "luck," and 
saying that a magical recipe will be given to each 
Junior on starting for home, which, if followed, will 
keep him always fortunate. This "recipe," type- 
written and handed to each in an addressed envelope 
labeled "Good-Luck Recipe," is the definition of 
"luck" given by Max O'Rell, as follows : 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 57 

"Luck means rising at six o'clock in the morning, 
living on a dollar a day if you earn two, minding 
your own business, and not meddling with other peo- 
ple's. Luck means the appointments you have never 
failed to keep, the trains you have never failed to catch. 
Luck means trusting in God and your own resources." 

Making Valentines. 

If some of the Juniors wish to surprise their friends, 
or the inmates of their pet charitable institutions, with 
kind thoughts in the form of valentines, those made 
by themselves are sure to be most acceptable; and 
then, too, it is such fun to make them ! 

The materials needed are white and colored paper, 
including gilt and silver paper, also paste and scissors. 
One has first to cut the colored paper into squares, 
which may then be folded into quarters and the 
quarters into triangles ; then cut these into all kinds of 
intricate tracery, and they will be pretty when un- 
folded, for the repetition gives beauty to the most 
awkward cutting. Next paste them on a background 
of white, and decorate them with mottoes or with 
tiny doves and hearts, in gold. 

One little girl even attemped to cut out a Cupid 
for a very special valentine, to be given to her grandma ; 
and, although the Cupid was a little lop-sided, 
it was still quite imposing. Another wee girl, the 
little sister of one of the Juniors, made good use of 
her kindergarten skill by sewing a valentine ! Her 
sister prepared it for her by cutting a heart about 



58 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 



three inches across, from a piece of folded paper ; us- 
ing this as a pattern, she marked around it on a piece 
of cardboard, made a small oblong in the centre, for 
a picture-frame, and pricked the outline for the five- 
year-old to sew with blue silk. This was accomplished 
with much delight, and with a stamp picture of the 
giver pasted in the centre of the oblong was as pretty 
a valentine as need be. 

One favorite kind, the "window" valentine, was 
made by taking a square of paper, doubling it and cut- 
ting one straight slit half-way across from centre to the 
outside ; then folding it once the other way — into quar- 
ters — and cutting off the corner so as, when unfolded, 
to make a square opening in the centre, with its corners 
opposite the sides of the larger square. While the paper 
was folded in quarters, a third slit was cut, parallel with 
the last one. When unfolded, this brought strips each 
side, which were folded back on the outside of the 
valentine ; a picture was pasted back of the opening, 
and the valentine looked like this : 




WINDOW VALENTINE 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 



59 



Another was made to represent the front of a house, 
with a < ' Welcome ' ' door-mat and a door that opened 
and disclosed a photograph of the giver. On the 
door was inscribed, 

" Open this door, and you will find 
One who would be your valentine. " 

Still another represented a dainty lady on horseback 
just ready to jump through a paper hoop held by a 
clown. Underneath was the verse, 

" Jump through this paper hoop of mine, 
And find your own true valentine." 

The paper in the hoop concealed a photograph. Of 
course it should be explained to the children that val- 
entines containing photographs are supposed to be for 
relatives. 

One of the prettiest surprises of all on the occasion 
of which I am speaking, was a wonder-box, made 
from a piece of heavy paper six inches across. Fast- 




y v - / \ s \ 




V X 







V V V V 



60 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

ened securely in a most mysterious way, and with bits 
of candy rattling tantalizingly inside, it was a delight- 
ful, but not an easy, task, to open it, even to those 
who knew how. 

The diagram shows by dotted lines exactly where 
the paper squares must be folded, and the heavy lines 
show where it must be cut. The holes are for the 
corners, folded small, to be put through, and then 
straightened out again. 

This is the way the wonder-box looks when done : 













Ar 



wonder-box (Closed) 

It would be as good for a Christmas present as for 
a valentine. 



A New Kind of Dinner-Party. 

This was one of the invitations : 

Dear Bertol : 

I hope you will not think it odd if I ask you to 
be either a table-furnishing or something to eat at my 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 61 

dinner-party. Will you be kind enough to be served 
at my house two weeks from to-night ; that is, Tues- 
day, October sixth, nineteen hundred and three, at 
half-past seven ? And, if you accept, will you not 
please let me know what you choose to be ? 

Hungrily your friend, 

L. Bettina Arned. 
45 Muscovy Street, 

Tuesday, Septonber twenty-second. 

About thirty children came. Of course there were 
more girls than boys ( there always are ) ; still, the 
boys could be discovered without a microscope. 
Some of the guests were these : 

i. Mock Turtle (soup). A boy with green cloth 
slippers on hands and feet, and a green oval card- 
board shield on front and back. He wore green 
trousers and stockings, green tissue-paper hair, and 
green goggles. 

2. Black Bass. A boy in burnt cork dressed like a 
negro singer. On a card hung about his neck was 
drawn a bar of music showing " bass M notes. 

3. Duck. A little girl in a white duck dress. 

4. Turkey. A boy in a fez and Turkish clothes — 
orange sash, baggy red jacket and trousers, and 
pointed shoes. He wore an immense burnt-cork 
mustache. 

5. Game. A girl carried a checker-board under 
one arm and a pachisi board under the other. 

6. Hare. A girl with her "hair" worn long. 



62 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

7. Pear. Two girls kept hold of hands all the 
evening. 

8. Sole ( the fish ). A girl wearing a card on which 
was pasted the picture of a shoe-sole. 

9. Whitebait. A boy dressed in white (not duck, 
however). He carried a short bamboo fish-pole. 
The hook end of the line was fastened about his neck. 

10. Chinaware. A girl in Chinese clothes. 

As soon as a guest arrived he was given a numbered 
sheet and a pencil, and was told to guess — without 
exchanging hints with his neighbors — what everybody 
else was supposed to be. The reward for the longest 
list was an angel-cake, and for the shortest a stick of 
barber-pole candy, tied with bright green ribbon. 
Really, there were two dinner-parties that evening, 
for while the lists were being counted Mrs. Arned 
served lemonade and crackers. 

Jack-Knife and Scissors Party. 

The boys all bring their jack-knives, of course, and 
the girls their scissors. Other tools and materials, 
provided by the committee, are a pile of white pine 
boards knocked from old boxes ; a bundle of tissue- 
paper and crape paper ; some cardboard ; a pot of 
glue; some wire, pins, tacks, small nails, and ham- 
mers. Rewards are offered to the boy and the girl 
who at the end of two hours have made the most use- 
ful or ingenious articles. 

There is a wide range. Wooden spoons, plates, 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 63 

toothpicks, paper-cutters, dolls, toy boats and sleds, 
statuettes (!), window-sash supporters, and tabour- 
ettes ; tissue-paper lanterns, mats, valentines, bouquets, 
and dresses for some of the wooden dolls ; these form 
only a partial list of the result of one such contest. 
Ingenious Juniors will delight in inventing new and 
astonishing effects in both paper and wood. "The 
American Boy's Handy Book" and "The American 
Girl's Handy Book ' ' would be suitable rewards. After 
their arduous toil the workers will appreciate a lunch 
of sandwiches, fruit, and lemonade. The articles 
made may be either given to some charitable institu- 
tion or saved for a Christmas tree or fair given by the 
Juniors. The latter plan will generally prove more 
desirable, as only a few of the articles would be as 
suitable for inmates of any one institution as they 
would be for those of private homes. 

Reception at Curlycue Castle. 

Invite the Juniors to a reception at Curlycue Castle, 
giving date, hour, and street address, but no other 
particulars. When they arrive, they are introduced 
to the Queen — or King — of the Curlycues. This im- 
portant personage is dressed in a more or less fantastic 
costume, in which the most conspicuous feature is pro- 
fuse ringlets made of lovely light golden shavings ; 
and carries a sceptre or wand, which in explaining the 
games, etc., is waved about in a style full of curves 
and curls, peculiarly its own. 

The Juniors are suitably welcomed, and in a brief 



64 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

address the habits and customs of the singular, newly 
discovered race of people called Curlycues are ex- 
plained to them, and they are informed that for the 
next two or three hours they are to consider them- 
selves as belonging to the same race. Each is fur- 
nished with a long shaving curl, which badge of honor 
the newly made Curlycue, whether girl or boy, is ex- 
pected to wear throughout the occasion. 

Tell them the Curlycues are expert in shooting at a 
mark — whether they always hit it or not ; that they 
have been much troubled by certain small wild ani- 
mals called " excuses " which are found in the woods 
about the castle ; and that occasionally these animals 
become so bold that they make themselves great nui- 
sances, creeping into the castle itself, and hindering 
the Curlycues about their work and study. Then call 
all the Curlycues to an excuse-hunt. 

In a large unfurnished room have a target almost 
half covering one side of the room. Have it prepared 
in advance with drawings of a number of comical 
faces, each plainly labelled with the name of some fool- 
ish excuse, such as " I didn't think," " He dared me 
to," " Just this once," " No one will know," " She 
did it first," " He began it," " I don't want to," 
"I'm afraid," "Wait till to-morrow," "In a min- 
ute," "Byandby," "I forgot," "I can't." Truly 
a formidable array ! Of course it should be explained 
that the most of these are entire strangers to the Ju- 
niors, but as Curlycues they are privileged to hunt 
them out and shoot them on the spot. 



GOOD TI3IES WITH THE JUNIORS 65 

Each hunter is supplied with a bow and three ar- 
rows, and is told to see how many excuses he can dis- 
pose of. Some excuses count more than others in the 
score. This may be arranged at the discretion of the 
Junior superintendent. For instance, each excuse 
might count five, except " I forgot " and " Wait till 
to-morrow," each of which might count ten. If a 
hunter has shot a certain excuse, it does not debar the 
rest from having a try at the same one if they wish. 
As in real life, each excuse may have to be killed 
several times over. The Curlycue who scores the 
most with his three trials is the winner. 

After all have had a chance, and the excuses are 
pretty well disposed of, the children will enjoy a 
" Curlycue drawing-contest." Give them paper and 
pencils, and tell them each to draw a Curlycue ; that 
is, it must be explained, a single line about two inches 
long containing one or more crooks or curves. Ex- 
change the papers, and let each draw a picture, using 
in it the line already drawn. Twenty minutes, or a 
half-hour, if preferred, may be the time-limit. A 
small reward may then be given for the best drawing. 

A lively piano march now calls the Curlycues to 
their feet. They form in single file, and follow their 
leader in a very whimsical and circuitous march, 
finally bringing up at the dining-room, where crullers 
or other " curly " cakes are served, with milk or lemon- 
ade. Or the cakes might be flat, with chocolate, 
pink, or white icing decorated with " Curlycues " in 
another color. 



66 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

" Polly Pitcher " Social. 

This is a missionary "jug-breaking M in which the 
mite-boxes, in the form of tiny gilded jugs or pitchers, 
are all fastened to various portions of an imposing rag 
or pillow doll, the size of a grown person, if possible, 
named "Polly Pitcher." Polly is fond of jewelry, 
and wears bracelets, necklace, earrings, and even a 
nose-ring, all composed of the mite-boxes. 

As the Juniors know well for what purpose they 
have been saving, this is a time for rejoicing and mer- 
rymaking rather than for set speeches. After " Polly M 
has been despoiled of her treasures there may be, in 
another room, a game of "Polly Pitcher bean-bag." 
This is the way it is arranged : 

Have three bean-bags, two of them four inches ; the 
other, five inches, square ; a hoop fifteen inches in di- 
ameter, wound with ribbon ; suspend this hoop from 
the ceiling by a ribbon loop tied to one side, from 
which you are to hang a small bell so that it will 
swing in the centre of the hoop. 

Each Junior in turn is the " pitcher," and in this case 
the bell is " Polly." The player takes the three bags, 
and throws them successively through the hoop, try- 
ing not to disturb " Polly," who will be sure to pro- 
test every time that she is hit. The two smaller bags 
are thrown first, then the larger one. Whenever the 
player succeeds in throwing a bag through the hoop 
without disturbing "Polly " it counts ten ; that is, if 
the bag is one of the smaller ones. If it is the large 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 67 

one, it counts twenty. Whenever Polly lets it be 
known that she is disturbed, it takes off five from the 
pitcher's score. 

If there is time, other favorite games of the Juniors 
may be introduced. But usually it will be found that 
a belle Polly is fascinating enough to divide the hon- 
ors about equally with her bejewelled namesake, and 
that by the time the refreshments are over and the size 
of the missionary fund is announced, the social may 
close with a few of the Juniors' brightest songs. 

House-Book. 

When my sister was a little girl, she had one play 
that always gave her unfailing delight. It was her 
" house-book ' ' as she called it, and I am sure the 
Juniors, especially the younger ones, would enjoy the 
fascinating play-work as much as she did, and the 
" houses" thus concocted might be given to a chil- 
dren's hospital, where they would serve as fairy palaces 
for the tired little sufferers to dwell in. 

The brown cover of Daisy's house-book was nothing 
ornamental ; in fact, the book, to begin with, was a 
more or less blank one that had already served its pur- 
pose in some commercial capacity. But that did not 
matter. You opened it to the first page, and saw the 
front of the house, outside, with its piazza and lawn. 
A hammock was swung somewhere, — I forget whether 
it was on the lawn or the piazza, — and some very dis- 
tinguished-looking paper-doll people were going up 



68 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

the steps. Then you turned over the leaf, and found 
yourself in the parlor, with rug, chairs, and little 
tables, a piano, and all complete. Each page was a 
room. Going on, you visited in turn the library, 
dining-room, kitchen, and, I think, hall and stairs ; 
then you took a peep into several sleeping-rooms, and 
of course the most important room in the house was 
the playroom, with two children in it, and toys of va- 
rious kinds and sizes, scattered about. Generally 
speaking, the furnishings were in remarkably good 
proportion and well arranged ; but the house lacked a 
cellar. Perhaps it was in Florida, where cellars are 
seldom indulged in. 

A house-book can be made as simple or as elabo- 
rate as one desires. Pantries, cellar, china-closets, 
linen : closets, and attic might all be included ; and one 
could put a cheery-looking cook in the kitchen and a 
trim maid with a ruffled apron in the dining-room, 
besides a large family of children and the father and 
mother, and, if you like, the grandfather and grand- 
mother too. With such a wealth of pictures to choose 
from as can be found in the different papers and ad- 
vertising sheets, very little need be left to the imagina- 
tion. By all means set the Juniors to making house- 
books, and by the time they have real houses of their 
own to furnish, or even before, they will have acquired 
a very good idea of what is needed and where to 
put it. 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 69 

A Parlor Athletic Meet. 

Send the Juniors an invitation reading somewhat 
like this : 

" You are invited to enter one or all of the athletic 

events of the Parlor Athletic Club, on Wednesday 

evening, November third, at 65 Sycamore Street. 

Everybody will break training at the end of the meet. 

" Bertrand C. Frost, Field Marshal. 

"October twenty -fifth, ipoj." 

As each guest enters the front door, the scorer should 
put down the guest's name, number it, and pin on his 
back a plainly numbered card. As he enters the par- 
lor or dining-room, a paper and pencil should be given 
to him. The events should be plainly listed on a black- 
board. The announcer should say : " Will each com- 
petitor please write his number at the head of his sheet, 
and under this the numbers, but not the names, of the 
events which he means to enter ? The more entries, 
the better. Hand your sheets to me." 

Four judges (grown people are the best) can quickly 
make lists of the people entering each event. Then 
the announcer should clear the field, and the events 
should begin as promptly as possible. The following 
list may be too long : 

1. Taking the largest bite from an apple hung by a 
string. The hands of the competitor must be held be- 
hind his back. 

2. Holding the breath the longest without laughing. 

3. Balancing a cane on one finger the longest. 



70 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

4. Throwing bean-bags into a hole cut in a board. 
Fifteen feet is a good distance. Each competitor 
should be allowed five bags. 

5. Laughing in the most original manner. 

6. A tickling-match. Two competitors should each 
be given a feather. One hand must be held behind 
the back. An eight-foot circle is drawn. The winner 
is he or she who stays the longer in the circle without 
making a sound. 

7. Hand- wrestling. Two people stand opposite 
each other, with legs braced, and grasp each a hand, 
holding the other hand behind them. The point is to 
jerk or pull your opponent in such a manner that he is 
forced to move one of his feet. 

8. Standing on one foot, on a chair, the longest. 
The right arm must be held up straight, and not sup- 
ported. 

9. Sitting down on the floor, and getting up again 
most gracefully. The arms must be folded. 

10. Thrusting a cane through a swinging napkin- 
ring. The fewest thrusts count the most. 

11. Running up-stairs in the quickest time. Every 
stair must be used. 

12. " Putting " the balloon. The competitor must 
stand in a seven- foot circle, or come up to a line from 
not more than seven feet back, and " put M a toy bal- 
loon as far ahead as possible. The distance must be 
measured from the spot on the floor or ceiling where 
the balloon first strikes, to the middle of the putting- 
edge of the circle or of the putting-line. 



GOOD TI3IES WITH THE JUNIORS 71 

13. Bending over and touching the ground with the 
palms of both hands. The knees must not be bent. 
The point is to go over as many times as possible. 

Three places should be counted in each event. A 
first place should score three points ; a second place, 
two points ; a third place, one point. The largest re- 
ward should be given to the boy or girl having the 
largest total score. Be sure to give rewards that either 
a boy or a girl would like, for girls have a way of win- 
ning them when they have a good chance. 

A Tropical Fair. 

For decorations use the graceful Florida moss if it 
can be procured ; if not, tissue-paper orange blossoms 
are pretty. Palms and similar potted plants may be 
placed here and there. Have a pond made of a large 
mirror with the frame covered with foliage, and in or 
on the pond should be a number of pond-lily needle- 
books and penwipers; these the Juniors can easily 
make of white and green cloth for petals and leaves, 
with bits of yellow wool in the centre. There may 
also be in the pond some frog-shaped and alligator- 
shaped boxes made of wood with the bark left on for 
the alligators, and finished in both cases to look as 
lifelike as possible. 

In the centre or at one side of the room have an orange 
grove. The oranges are various small articles, each 
wrapped in a wad of cotton, made as nearly round as 
possible, covered with orange-colored tissue-paper and 
tied with a green string to the evergreen trees com- 



78 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

posing the grove. Each purchaser is to select the 
orange he prefers, paying a trifle for it. 

Besides the pond and the orange grove there may 
be a lemonade -well profusely decked with foliage, a 
booth where real oranges and other tropical fruits are 
sold, another booth for cake and candies, one for 
fancy-work, one for flowers, and a special one for 
fans, all having suggestions of the tropics about them. 
If the orange scheme is to predominate, the fancy- 
work booth should be filled with articles made in 
shades of orange, and the cakes, candies, and ices 
may be flavored with orange ; the booths may be 
draped in orange and white, and the girls in charge of 
them should wear white dresses with orange ribbons. 
In the grove should be seats and small tables where 
refreshments can be served as ordered. 

This will be found no more trouble to prepare, on 
the whole, than most ordinary fairs, and is much 
prettier. 

Washington's Birthday. 

In Miss Alcott's "Jack and Jill" are described 
several good tableaux taken from scenes in the life of 
Washington. The cherry-tree episode is delightful ; 
Washington crossing the Delaware, exciting ; and the 
"Daughters of Liberty," the "Surrender of Corn- 
wall is," the pathetic camp scene, " Washington at 
Trenton, " the Washington family, and the simulated 
statue of the " Minuteman," all very effective. The 
detailed description would take too much space here, 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 73 

but the book is to be found in most libraries ; and, 
even if it is not obtainable, the subjects may prove 
suggestive, and are all within the ability of children or 
quite young people. 

Many, however, will prefer games. Did you ever 
play " cherry-tree blind man's buff" ? For this you 
will want twenty or more candied cherries, and an im- 
promptu cherry-tree, which may be the bough of an 
evergreen placed upright in a flower-pot or a box. 
Tie the cherries to the branches with bits of silk thread 
a few inches long. Blindfold the Juniors one at a 
time ; turn the blindfolded one around three times ; 
give him a pair of scissors ; and tell him to clip all the 
cherries he can from the tree, allowing him three min- 
utes for the trial. He must not feel for the tree with 
his hands, but simply reach out with the scissors and 
clip where he thinks the cherries are. A little box of 
candied fruit is given as a reward to the one who suc- 
ceeded in clipping the most cherries. 

On one occasion of this kind the " yarn-spinning 
contest" described originally in the "spinning so- 
cial " of " Eighty Pleasant Evenings " was included, 
the guests each trying to tell the most improbable 
story. But instead of the most successful story-teller's 
being honored with the title of " fibmaster-general," 
the reward was quite unexpectedly presented to the 
one who had told the poorest story, on the ground 
that Washington was a poor hand at telling stories and 
to be like him is a mark of patriotism worthy of reward. 

" Burying the hatchet " is suggestive of all sorts of 



74 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

peaceful things, but is in reality quite a lively contest. 
Divide the company into two sections. Have ready 
one of the little hatchet-shaped candy-boxes, to be had 
at most confectioners* about February 22. One di- 
vision of the Juniors leaves the room ; the other division 
hides the hatchet ; and the outside party returns, and 
tries in five guesses to locate it. If successful, their 
side wins a point ; if not, they win nothing. The two 
divisions change places, the first hiders of the hatchet 
going out of the room and becoming the guessers. 
Each side has three turns, alternating in this way. 
The side which has then won most points receives the 
hatchet filled with bonbons. 

A " Washington quiz" historic in character, might 
be included, with such questions as the following : 

1. In what State was Washington born ? 

2. In what year was he born ? 

3. Did George attend any college ? 

4. Who sent him on his famous journey through the wil- 
derness ? 

5. What position did he hold under Braddock ? 

6. How did he act when complimented first on his military 
service ? 

7. In what year was he made commander-in-chief of the 
Continental army ? 

8. Where did he spend the winter of 1777 ? 

9. When was he elected president ? 

10. How long did he hold the presidency ? 

1 1. Where did he die ? 

12. Did he hold slaves ? 

13. Did he approve of slavery ? 

14. What became of his slaves after their master's death ? 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 75 

15. By whom was he called " First in war, first in peace, 
and first in the hearts of his countrymen " ? 

ANSWERS.— 1. Virginia. 2. 1732. 3. No. 4. Governor 
Dinwiddie. 5. Aide-de-camp. 6. Blushed, stammered, and 
could not speak. 7- J 775- 8. Valley Forge. 9. 1789. 10. 
For two terms of four years each. 11. At Mount Vernon. 
12. Yes. 13. No. 14. They were set free. 15. Henry Lee, 
in a resolution presented in the House of Representatives. 

Little paper flags tinted red, white, and blue were 
used in one such test, the questions being written upon 
the reverse iide. 

For ref ^shments, serve lemonade with canned 
cherries dropped into it, and fancy crackers or cakes 
in the form of little hatchets. 

For the First of April. 

Perhaps one of the Juniors has a printing-press ; if 
so, this is a good chance to use it. 

Print hand bills asking "all the wise people* ' in 
town to come to your entertainment to be given the 
evening of April 1, naming the hall and the price of 
admission. 

Tickets should be distributed when asked for ; as 
the hand-bills should announce, the tickets of admis- 
sion are to be at a certain price, payable at the door as 
you go out, after the entertainment is over. This 
plan is in keeping with the rest of the evening, and is 
also partly to reassure any who suspect that an April 
First entertainment might be so complete a hoax as 
not to take place at all. 



76 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

Have a poster at the entrance of the hall, warning 
every one, "Who enters here must leave all sense be- 
hind." 

The decorations are truly unique. Rugs, strips of 
carpets, and an occasional chair ornament the walls, 
while pictures and posters are hung up on the floor. 
A curtain might be gracefully draped along the floor 
of the platform. Everything, as far as possible, is in 
the place usually assigned to something els^ . 

Programmes printed all sides up with c re, and as 
unexpected in typographical arrangement is the fur- 
nishings, should be handed around. The announce- 
ment at the top of the page should be in small type, 
the rest in larger size; the margin should vary in 
width from line to line, each paragraph beginning at 
the edge of the sheet ; and every sentence must begin 
with a period and end with a capital. The Juniors, 
with a little suggestion now and then, will find this 
part of the work great fun, and will learn some things 
regarding correct rules of printing in the very effort to 
break them. 

The first thing on the programme is, of course, the 
good-night speech, thanking the audience for their 
kind attention and generous applause, and inviting 
them, before leaving, to partake of refreshments. The 
menus that are then passed may contain all sorts of 
possible and impossible dishes, but the refreshments 
themselves must be always something widely different 
from what was ordered. For instance, if one orders 
quail on toast, coffee, and layer cake, he is likely to 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 77 

get a cheese sandwich, a pickle, and a glass of water, 
with the grave assurance that these dishes were exactly 
the ones that he ordered. 

After the refreshments the programme is rendered. 
"A recitation by little Edith Jones M proves to be 
some time-honored selection like " Mary had a little 
lamb," or " You'd scarce expect one of my age," re- 
cited in a childish lisp and high key, by the largest, 
tallest boy in the society ; in fact, one of the seniors 
may have to be called upon for this honor, as he should 
be, if possible, more than six feet tall. " A patriotic 
address by General Wynhart " should be, on the con- 
trary, a particularly captivating dialogue or duet by 
two pretty little girls, or a motion song by several 
tiny tots. " A violin solo by Signor Grateforio " is a 
song by a quartette. "A bass solo, ' Rocked in the 
cradle of the deep/ by Professor Rorer," should be a 
little girl's lullaby to her doll, very soft and sweet. 
"Grand chorus by four hundred voices" maybe a 
violin solo. And so with the whole programme, end- 
ing with the address of welcome. Aim to have many 
really fine numbers, but see to it that every one is 
something unexpected. 

As the people go out, the spirit of fun will have so 
thoroughly taken possession of them that it will be a 
wonder if there are no buttons or similar treasures 
offered as the price of admission, or rather of escape ; 
but not many would be so mean, and then it need not 
be accepted, for, when asked, every one will be obliged 
to admit that he has had his quarter's worth of fun. 



78 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

Letter Social. 

Label each Junior with a letter on his arrival. This 
may be done by having ready in advance small cards, 
each with a letter plainly painted on it and with a rib- 
bon loop attached, to be pinned on the dress or hung 
around the neck. In preparing the letters omit V, X, 
and Z, and make several copies apiece of the letters 
in most common use. 

First, the Juniors may see what words they can form 
by grouping themselves according to their letters. 
For instance, a Junior labelled with F goes and finds 
one with O, and together they have made one word, 
"of " ; then these two group themselves with a third 
labelled R, and by rearranging the order they have 
"for" ; then by finding successively T, H, and U, 
they have "fort," "forth/' and "fourth," etc. No 
group may discard a letter once accepted, nor add one 
that will not make a correctly spelled word, but they 
may rearrange the order of their letters as often as 
they wish. At the end of a stated time the group that 
has the longest word has won the game, which might 
be known as " word-building.' ' 

Another letter contest, with the same labels, is per- 
haps still more interesting. It is called the "Alpha- 
betical Question Game." One of the Juniors asks 
another a question. The answer must begin with the 
letter worn by the one replying, and must be given 
before the questioner can count ten slowly and dis- 
tinctly. If the one questioned fails to reply in time, 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 79 

or starts his reply with a wrong letter, the questioner 
takes his letter from him and adds it to his own. All 
players supplied with one or more letters may go about 
asking questions in this way, but two must not ques- 
tion the same player at once, and no one may give the 
same answer twice. A player may answer from any 
of the letters that he is wearing; and, if a player 
loses his only letter, he is supplied with another, but 
not more than twice. When time is up, the player 
having the most letters is the winner. 

A game of u letter tag " is one in which the vowels 
all chase the consonants. Each Junior wearing a 
vowel is given a particular corner for his "den." 
There is also a general goal. At a signal the vowels 
start in pursuit of the consonants, all circling the room 
in the same direction. Those consonants that escape 
to the goal without being overtaken are safe for the 
first run ; those tagged are obliged to return with their 
captors to the respective "dens" and remain there 
until the end of the game. After a certain number of 
these runs the vowel that has captured the most con- 
sonants is pronounced Czar, or Czarina, as the case 
may be. But this is not all. The players remain 
where they are. Paper and a pencil are given to each 
vowel, and the one that can make the longest list of 
words, using only his own letter and his captive con- 
sonants, is the final winner, and receives the reward. 

By this time both vowels and consonants will be 
ready for refreshments, which may consist of lemon- 
ade and fancy alphabet crackers, or cakes with let- 



80 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

tered icing. A few songs and recitations may be in- 
troduced to add variety ; and a pleasing exercise for 
the close would be "The Juniors' Message to All,' ' 
given as follows : 

Select eight of the Juniors who are rather slender, 
about the same height, and dressed in white. Take 
off their labels. Placing a large screen temporarily 
before them, or closing the sliding doors between them 
and their expectant audience, arrange them in front 
of a dark curtain or other background in such posi- 
tions that they will themselves form letters of white, 
spelling a short word easily recognized. It is not very 
difficult, but you will need to experiment a little. For 
the first letter, one Junior stands facing the audience 
for the upright part, another sits on the floor just be- 
hind, facing the right; for the second letter, two 
Juniors curve themselves as completely as possible 
around a hoop which they both hold, the open part 
toward the audience ; for the third, two stand leaning 
away from each other, with hands or a string tightly 
clasped to keep from falling ; for the fourth, the same 
arrangement as the first except that the standing Junior 
reaches one arm straight out at the side, toward the 
right of the audience, and the seated one also reaches 
one arm partly out in the same direction. Remove 
the screen when you have them arranged to your sat- 
isfaction, and the other children will recognize, in liv- 
ing letters of white, the word "Love," which is the 
Juniors' message to all. 



The Tuffet and the Web 

A Fantasy in Two Acts and Two Scenes 
By Vincent Van Marter Beede 



" Little Miss Muffet 
Sat on a tuffet, 

Eating curds and whey. 
There came a black spider, 
And sat down beside her, 

And frightened Miss Muffet away." 

People of the Play 

Little Miss Muffet, Queen of the Meadow. 

The Black Spider. 

The Fly. 

The Cricket. 

The Wise Mole. 

Three Field-Mice. 

Six Little Dairymaids. 

Three Elves, boys. 

Three Sprites, girls. 

Six Rabbits, three boys and three girls. 

Act I. — The Meadow. 
Act II. —The Spider's Web. 

(A constant undertone of music throughout the whole play.) 

81 



82 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNI0E8 

Costumes 

Little Miss Muffet : A dainty little girl of ten, 
with long hair and a daisy garland. Short frock of 
white or sky-blue, bare legs, and socks to match the 
frock. White slippers. 

Spider : A stout boy of twelve, in tight-fitting, 
shiny black from head to foot. Jet ornaments sewed 
here and there. Black mittens. Swarthy face, black 
beard, large smoked goggles, top-hat, the worse for 
wear. 

Fly : A slim boy of nine, in tight green clothes. 
A long-tailed coat, with brass buttons, green long 
hose, green slippers, rainbow wings. The wings can 
be made much as a kite is made. A green skull-cap. 

Cricket : A boy of the same age as the Fly, but a 
trifle larger. Plain loose black jacket and loose 
knickerbockers, black shoes, black skull-cap, brown 
wings. There should be brown patches here and 
there, as if the fellow were poor. 

Mole : A boy of twelve, in gray — very dark gray 
— flannel knickerbockers and a gray cloak. Spec- 
tacles, fur cap, shovel under one arm. 

Field-Mice : Boys smaller than the Mole. Brown, 
loose-fitting jackets and knickerbockers, torn black 
stockings, black tails (cloth wound over rope). 

Dairymaids : Six little girls from ten to twelve, in 
low-necked white frocks. Bare arms. White stock- 
ings, mob-caps and aprons. 

Elves : Boys from eight to ten, in tightly fitting 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 83 

clothes. One boy in red, another in white, another 
in blue. Long hose. Pointed caps, cloth over card- 
board. Wide sashes to match the costumes. 

Sprites : Girls of the same ages as the Elves. 
Short frocks, low neck, short sleeves. Colors of 
frocks : yellow, violet, and orange. Garlands of 
wild-flowers, gold and silver wands. 

Rabbits : Girls and boys of the same ages as the 
fairies. Boys. — Loose, light-gray flannel jackets and 
knickerbockers, and hoods with long ears which 
either stand up straight or stand out at right angles. 
They can be stiffened with little bamboo sticks. Short 
gray tails. White stockings. Girls. — White flannel 
hoods, ears, jackets, skirts, and stockings. 

Scenery 

Act I. Back scene to represent a blue sky. A 
green carpet should be spread, and over it grass or 
hay should be scattered. The tuffet is a tiny stool 
made of rough wood ; or the stool may be a hand- 
some gilded one, with a cushion of yellow silk. The 
Spider should let himself down from a beam which 
the audience cannot see. Great care should be taken 
that the beam is strong, and the rope securely fast- 
ened to the beam and about the Spider's waist. 

ACT I. 

Scene. — The Meadow. Music. A birthday party in 
honor of Little Miss Muffet, who at the rise 
of the curtain is discovered on her tuffet> centre. 



84 GOOD TI3IES WITH THE JUNIORS 

Left, a number of baskets, Dance of the Six Lit- 
tle Dairymaids. 

Muffet (when the dance is done). That was a 
beautiful dance, dear friends. Thank you ever so 
much. I notice that the four-o' clocks at my feet are 
opening, so that it is time for our guests to arrive. 

First Dairymaid. How fortunate that there are 
no ugly black clouds in the sky ! 

Muffet. Please, please do not use the word 
" black" any oftener than you cannot help. It re- 
minds me of that horrible, crawly, eight-legged crea- 
ture who lives in a — ugh ! — in a web ! 

Second Dairymaid. Pardon me, Miss Muffet, but 

is it true that the Sp I mean that this creature 

dropped down from a tree the other day and asked 
you to be his Queen, and live in his — den ? 

Muffet. Yes, yes, of course, it's true ; but change 
the subject, I beg of you. {Enter, left. Fly; right, 
Cricket. They advance toward Muffet, glower- 
ing angrily at each other. Each kisses a hand of 
Muffet at the same moment.) I am so glad you 
could come, both of you. 

Fly {pointing at Cricket). What is he here for, 
I'd like to know ? 

Cricket (pointing at Fly). And what is he here 
for, pray ? 

Muffet. O, I do hope you won't quarrel — to-day, 
especially. I think a great deal of you both ; don't 
I, Dairymaids ? 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 85 

Dairymaids. Of course you do ! 

Fly. That's the worst news I could possibly hear, 
Miss Muffet. Do you mean to say that you like that 
plain black fellow better than you do me? Why, just 
look at my wings ! I really think you might choose 
me as your King of the Meadow ! 
. Cricket. How can you listen to such talk, Miss 
Muffet? That Fly is nothing but a vain popinjay, 
strutting and buzzing around ! He can't sing. I'm 
the right kind of King for you, every time ! 

Fly {angrily). Bzzzzzzzzzz ! 

Cricket. There ! Did you ever hear a more dis- 
agreeable racket ? 

Muffet {covering her face with her hands'). O, 
what shall I do ? My birthday party is being spoiled 1 

Dairymaids {covering their faces with their hands). 
Yes, her party is being spoiled ! 

(Cricket and Fly disdainfully fold their arms, and 
turn their backs on each other. Music. Enter, 
right, in a dignified manner, Wise Mole and 
Three Field-Mice. They bow low before Miss 
Muffet.) 

Muffet. How glad I am to see you, Wise Mole, 
and you dear counsellors, the Field-Mice ! What 
should I do without you all to guide me when I get 
into trouble ? 

Mole. You have evidently been weeping, my dear 
Queen — and on your birthday, too ! What dreadful 



86 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

thing can have happened ? (Looking about uneasily?) 
Surely you have not seen the black Spider again ? 

Muffet and Dairymaids. O, no, no, no ! 

Mole. Tell me about it, whatever it may be. 

Muffet. Why, I cannot make up my mind which 
I would prefer for a husband — the Cricket, or the Fly. 
One has a beautiful song ; the other, beautiful wings. 
They are both angry, and insist on knowing which one 
shall sit upon the tuffet with me. 

(Mole and Field-Mice put their heads together.) 

Mole. It is our opinion that the tuffet is not big 
enough for more than one person, so that neither the 
Fly nor the Cricket can claim your hand. Come, be 
friends ! [Putting the hands of the rivals together. 
They shake hands not very cordially , while the Dairy- 
maids applaud.) 

Muffet. O goody — goody ! Now we can go on 
in peace ! {Music. Enter, left. Rabbits ; right, 
Fairies. Muffet stands up on her tuffet, and kisses 
her hands to the newco?7iers. Cricket, right ; Fly, 
left ; Mole and Field-Mice right of stage.) Wel- 
come to my meadow and my party ! 

Dairymaids. Welcome ! Welcome ! 

{Music. Dance of the Fairies and the Rabbits. 
The Dairymaids stand in a row at rear, clapping 
time.) 

Muffet {seating herself when the da?ice is over). 
Sit down, my dear guests, and have some of the curds 
and whey which the dear Dairymaids have provided. 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 87 

{Music, The Dairymaids take out from their 
baskets, left, spoons, bowls, and jars of curds 
and whey. They serve Muffet first. Rum- 
bling, thundering music. Spider lets himself 
down directly over Muffet by means of his 
"thread" {rope), and lands at side of Queen, 
whom he tries to embrace. Muffet and all her 
guests jump up, screaming. Stampede, left. 
Spider, quite deserted, seats himself on the tuf- 
fet. Low music.) 

Spider {untying the " thread" from his body. The 
thread is drawn upward, out of sight). I'll have her 
yet ! She's a pretty little thing. I'm bound that she 
shall sit in my parlor and spin for me all day long ! My 
web shall be the largest and silkiest in the wide world. 
I have no time for spinning. I would much rather be 
eating nice fat flies. I'm hungry for one at this mo- 
ment. Ah, but I saw a dainty specimen standing at 
Miss Muffet's side. Burrrrrooooo ! I'm furious to 
think that the Queen and her guests have escaped me 1 
(Fairies /dr/ out, laughing.) Who dares to laugh at 
Me, the King of the Web ? ( The Fairies dart out on 
stage, right.) 

First Elf. You're it for tag, Spider, old boy ! 

[Exeunt Fairies, right. Spider gives chase. Enter 
cautiously, left, Muffet carrying her bowl of 
curds and whey, and Fly. Muffet seats her- 
self on her tuffet, looking about fearfully.) 



88 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

Muffet. Has the horrid thing really gone away ? 

Fly [protectingly, but stammering with frighf). Of 
c-c-course, Miss Muffet, I-I will pro-protect you. {He 
tries to sit on the tuffet. ) 

Muffet. No, my dear Fly, there is room for only 
one on the tuffet, you know. 

Fly. How can I show my great love for you, my 
Queen of the Meadow ? 

Muffet. By slaying the wicked black Spider, who 
has devoured so many of your relatives, to say noth- 
ing of dragon-flies, caterpillars, and — crickets. 

Fly {drawing his dagger), I'll give battle to the 
monster at once ! I'll slay him single-handed, and 
wrap him up like a mummy in his own web ! Fare- 
well 1 {Music. Fly kisses the hand of Muffet. 
Exit Fly, right. Muffet goes on eating her curds 
and whey.) 

CURTAIN. 



ACT II. 

SCENE.— The Spider's Web. A dark, dungeon-like 
room. Straw on floor. Small door at left. 
Swords and spears hanging on rear wall. Spin- 
ning-wheel, centre. From it radiate many strands 
of web (colored string). As the curtain rises, 
the Spider is spinning at his wheel. Noise of 
some one coming rapidly up the stairs, left. 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS P9 

Spider {jumping to his feet). Hark ! An enemy! 

{Takes down sword from walL Brandishing the 
weapon, he retreats into a further corner, right, 
where he squats down. Door bursts open. 
Enter Fly with a drawn sword.) 

Fly. Bzzzzzzzzzz ! This is thy last hour, thou 
foul black Spider fiend ! 

(A terrific encounter with swords. The web is 
partially cut down. Finally Spider and Fly 
grapple. Spider puts Fly on his back, holds 
him down, and binds him with web. Just as he 
picks up his sword and prepares to give Fly 
his death-blow, a great trampling is heard on 
the stairs, and at a blast fro7n a fairy trumpet 
enter Cricket, followed by Fairies, Rabbits, 
Mole, and Field-Mice, all armed to the teeth.) 

Cricket. At him, my men ! And to the rescue of 
the Fly ! 

(Elves and Rabbits throw themselves on Spider, 
overcome him, and bind him, hand and foot, 
in his web. Meanwhile, Sprites release Fly. 
Enter Miss Muffet and Dairymaids.) 

Muffet. Poor Fly ! To think that I allowed you 
to attack the black Spider single-handed ! I can never 
forgive myself ! I hope that I have sent aid in time ! 
Are you wounded ? 

Fyl. My wings are somewhat snipped ; that's all. 

Mole {holding a sword to the Spider's throat). 



90 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

Will you promise by your eight legs to spin nothing 
hereafter but beautiful garments for Little Miss Muf- 
fet, Queen of the Meadow ? 

Spider (in a ?neek, choked voice). I promise. 

Cricket. Remember, you are never to spin an- 
other web as long as you live ! I don't care to have 
any more of my relatives entrapped. 

Spider. I promise. 

Fly. Do you promise to eat no more flies as long 
as you live ? 

Spider. I do. 

Mole. Very well, Elves, I appoint you as guards 
for the black Spider over night. In the morning I 
will send around two Roosters whom I know. For a 
reasonable salary of corn I am sure they will consent 
to keep an eye on him hereafter. 

Muffet. Dear Fly, I like you all the better now 
that you have so bravely bearded the black Spider in 
his web. Never again will he attempt to sit beside me ! 
(Spider groans.) 

Cricket. But what about me ? 

Muffet. As for you, my dear Cricket, I like you 
just as much as I do the Fly, because you have led the 
expedition which rescued him and captured that hor- 
rid thing. (Spider groans.) Now, friends all, let 
us go back to the meadow, and finish our curds and 
whey. 

(Music.) 

CURTAIN. 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 91 

A Barrel Brigade. 

In a little Ohio farming community the children of 
Junior age have many bright plans of work, and one 
of them is a barrel brigade. That is not what they 
called it, I think ; but the name fits so well that we 
will let it stand, and I know that many Junior soci- 
eties will like the plan. Probably some of them are 
already trying it in one form or another, but for those 
who have not thought of it here is a new field of use- 
fulness of the kind that brings " that comfortable feel- 
ing ' ' both to the workers and to those to whom the 
barrel is a welcome and sometimes unexpected source 
of supply. 

The particular barrel brigade mentioned meets reg- 
ularly, either monthly or oftener, on Saturday after- 
noons, for sewing and other business necessary for 
their purpose, which is to fill a barrel each year, to be 
sent to some poor family or families, either near or 
far, perhaps to some struggling missionary's household 
where the little ones are more numerous than the ways 
of providing for them. 

From the materials at their disposal the children 
prepare and put in all kinds of things that they think 
will add to the comfort of those receiving them. Take 
an imaginary peep into one of these barrels, and you 
will see something like the following array — if you dig 
deep enough ! — warm crocheted mittens, babies' socks, 
hoods, and even shawls; children's clothing, now be- 
come too small for some of the rapidly growing first 



92 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

owners ; reading-matter of various kinds ; a few toys 
sprinkled in here and there, ^ot always new, but so 
carefully repaired by the young carpenters, painters, 
and seamstresses as to look like new or even better ; 
aprons, holders, and dish-towels ; bright home-made 
rugs, cushions, and even a patchwork quilt, for some 
of the little girls are as fond as were their grand- 
mothers of cutting calico into little pieces for the sake 
of sewing it together again. Never mind ; this is not 
so foolish as it may seem, for the quilt is warm, most 
of the pieces were bits left over from gowns, and 
surely the old-fashioned " quilting-bee " must have 
been royal fun for the brigade. 

When all else is packed, a generous storekeeper usu- 
ally contributes several pairs of shoes and rubbers, 
and other small articles, just to " fill in the chinks." 
The shoes, of course, are selected, according to sizes 
previously learned, to fit the different pairs of feet 
that they are to cover. And, if some larger articles are 
contributed also, the hearts of the brigade are still 
further rejoiced. 

Any Junior society, whether in city or in country, 
could have a "barrel brigade," and with very little 
expense collect and prepare things so useful and ap- 
propriate for the particular family or persons that are 
to receive them that the practical value would prove 
worth many times the cost. The barrel's contents 
will vary according to the need, and also according to 
the materials at hand \ but it is hardly necessary to 
say that food, if at all perishable, should not be in- 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 93 

eluded if the barrel is to go by freight, as it is likely 
to be a long time on the way. Clothing, reading- 
matter, and many other home comforts can be 
packed and sent with safety. 

Parlor Mountain- Climb. 

Decorate the room with such mountain flowers and 
foliage as can be procured, and order in advance of a 
stationer enough favors for all the Juniors, each favor, 
when pulled, to reveal some article of travelling-cos- 
tume in crape paper or tissue-paper that will suggest 
mountain-climbing. They might all be odd moun- 
tain hats of various colors and kinds, the Alpine pre- 
dominating ; or some of them might be long travelling- 
cloaks. 

For the first half or three-quarters of an hour have 
a stereopticon talk on the people and scenery of the 
Alps, giving pictures of Swiss peasants and their cot- 
tages, and interspersing story and incident to add to 
the interest. Follow this with a little appropriate 
music; a " Swiss bells" instrumental selection and 
one or two pretty mountain songs like " The Herds- 
man's Mountain Home " would be good. 

Then the Juniors are presented with their "travel- 
ling-bags," as the favors may be called, and are told 
to open them by pulling, and that they will find some- 
thing to wear while climbing the mountain. When 
all are dressed for the climb, the preparations are 
completed by giving each an alpenstock, and arrang- 
ing several hassocks, cushions, big books, etc., in the 



94 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

path of the prospective climbers; for the " mountain- 
climb " proves to be an obstacle race on one foot. 

When this part of the fun is over, there may be a 
written question game, involving more mountains. 
Here is a list that may prove suggestive : 

i. What mountain in Switzerland is a girl's name? 

2. What mountain in North Carolina is a favorite 
relative of most Juniors ? 

3. What mountains are full of maps? 

4. What mountain in Asia is the atmosphere and a 
small animal ? 

5. What mountain in Wales was pelted by a storm ? 

6. What mountain in Massachusetts reminds you 
of horseback-riding ? 

7. What peak in Japan is the first syllable of a girl's 
name and an exclamation ? 

8. What mountains are household animals and also 
destroy life ? 

9. What mountain in the Apennines is something 
that hurts, and the exclamation it causes ? 

10. What mountain is a famous university ? 

11. What mountains in Australia are a kitchen 
stove in good order ? 

12. What mountains, if mixed, would make gray? 

13. What mountains could blow a loud blast? 

14. What hills in England are a kind of cloth? 

15. What mountain in Brazil is a musical instrument? 

16. What volcano in Sicily becomes a girl's name 
by changing one letter ? 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 95 

17. What mountains give light at night? 

18. What mountain is a Bible character? 

19. What mountains mean a pleasant day? 

20. What mountain makes a noise like a college 
yell? 

21. On what mountain did you eat your dinner? 

22. What Irish mountains are very sad ? 

23. What mountain in Oregon is worn on the head ? 

24. What mountain belongs to the baby ? 

25. What mountains in Spain are a good kind of 
soap? 

26. What mountain in Palestine is a balm ? 

27. What mountains in Texas could take a scalp? 

28. What mountains are dangerous to boats ? 

Following are the answers : 

1. Rosa. 15. Organ. 

2. Grandfather. 16. Etna. (Edna.) 

3. Atlas. 17. Mountains of the Moon. 

4. Ararat. 18. St. Elias. 

5. Snowdon. 19. Fairweather. 

6. Saddleback. 20. Hooper. (Whooper.) 

7. Jesso. 21. Table. 

8. Catskill. 22. Mourne. 

9. Corno. 23. Mt. Hood. 

10. Harvard. 24. Cradle. 

11. Black Range. 25. Castile. 

12. Black and White. 26. Gilead. 

13. Big Horn. 27. Apache. 

14. Cheviot. 28. Rocky. 



96 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

To the Junior who has answered the most questions 
correctly a reward may be given, perhaps some pretty 
little article of Swiss workmanship, a set of the Perry 
Pictures comprising mountain views, or a book con- 
taining a good story of mountain life. 

Refreshments served in picnic style may be sand- 
wiches, and berries supposed to have been " picked 
on the mountains. M Close the evening with singing. 

Rainbow Social. 

After a missionary meeting let the Juniors decide 
what missionary or mission field they would like to 
help ; then give to each a mite-box marked with his 
own name, to hold missionary pennies. Some months 
afterward, have your " rainbow social." 

Collect the missionary mite-boxes a few days before, 
and except on the bottom, where the name is written, 
they may be gilded to suggest still further the pot of 
gold to be found at the end of the rainbow. 

The room where the social is to be held should be 
decorated with tissue-paper in rainbow colors. Each 
Junior should have a rainbow chain, made of the same 
material, hung around his neck. The refreshments 
should have the rainbow colors, too — oranges, apples, 
olives, variegated ice-cream, etc. The " rainbow n 
feature may be carried out in another way by asking 
each one present to tell one bright story or happening, 
or sing a verse of some bright song, or recite some- 
thing cheering. 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 97 

Tell the Juniors the story of the pot of fairy gold 
supposed to be at the end of every rainbow. Then 
have your "rainbow hunt," arranged with ribbons 
as in the " red-line jubilee," except that the ribbons 
are of rainbow colors, and at each end is discovered 
one of their old friends, the mite-boxes, transformed 
into a treasure of shining gold. The Juniors may ex- 
change them, if they wish, among themselves, until 
each one has his own ; then they are broken and the 
"gold" inside counted separately and all together. 
Close the social with a bright missionary song, and 
later, after devoting the money to the object deter- 
mined upon, tell the Juniors as much as possible of 
just how it was used, and why it must have seemed to 
those receiving it like " fairy gold " indeed. By this 
time the Juniors' interest in missions will probably be 
so enthusiastic that they will want to try it all over 
again. 

Handkerchief Gymnastics. 

There are still many girls, even in these hygienic 
times, who are not fortunate enough to attend schools 
that have gymnasiums. For these the Junior girls 
may like to help organize a class for the practice of 
handkerchief gymnastics. The writer has made a 
thorough test of every one of these exercises before 
recommending them, and knows them to be of practi- 
cal benefit. They are similar to those practised daily 
at Cornell University. 

More breath means more life, and some of these 



98 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

exercises are especially good to promote deep breath- 
ing. Let each girl come provided with a large hand- 
kerchief and a gymnasium suit, which is easily adapted 
from an old dress having a loose blouse ; nothing but 
the skirt will require change. 

Standing erect on the ball of the foot, grasp the 
handkerchief by diagonally opposite corners, so that 
the hands will be about an arm's length from each 
other. At the beginning and end of each exercise the 
handkerchief is to be only lightly stretched. A towel 
may be used instead of the handkerchief if that should 
be preferred, holding it by the ends instead of by the 
corners. 

The following directions will show the different 
positions to be taken. Do not overdo the matter ; 
some of the little girls will require frequent rests, and 
some will be eager to go on ; hence it is sometimes 
well to divide them into classes. While most of these 
positions are easily understood from the directions, a 
few are more difficult to describe in words. We illus- 
trate certain ones. 

i. Arms extended straight forward, on a level with 
shoulder. 

2. From position i bend the arms, and rise onto the 
toes. Extend the arms and sink back from the toes. 
Repeat from five to ten times. This exercise is 
especially adapted to produce deep breathing. The 
mouth must be kept closed. 

3. From position 1 bend the left leg at the knee, and 
raise it till it touches the towel. Same with right leg. 



GOOD TI3IES WITH THE JUNIORS 



99 




4. From position 1 extend the 
left leg sideways and swing the arms 
to the left. Return to position 1. 

5. Arms raised high above the 
head. 

6. From position 5 bend the 
body at the hips, and lean as far 
forward as possible, the body and 
the arms remaining in a straight 
line, the head raised slightly, and the weight of the 
body resting on the toes. 

7. From position 5 bend and extend the knees, keep- 
ing the body upright. 

8. From position 5 bend the left arm, and lower 
sideways the right one, which is ex- 
tended. The towel passes across the 
back. The left hand holds the upper 
end of the towel back of the upper part 
of the arm, close to the shoulder. 
Raise the arms back to position and 
repeat to the left, the right arm being 
bent and left extended. 

9. Arms lowered in front of the body. 

10. From position 9 twist the body to the left, the 
feet remaining unmoved, and at the same time raise 
the arms, keeping them extended, until they are high 
above the head. In the same way repeat the exercise, 
turning the body to the right. 

11. From position 5 bend the body forward, 




100 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 





swinging the extended arms as low as possible without 
bending the knees. 

12. Towel di- 
rectly in front of 
the forehead, the 
head and elbows 
back. 

13. From po- 
sition 1 2, with toes 
apart, charge for- 
ward with the left 
foot, keeping the 

right knee straight, bringing the weight on the forward 
foot ; return to position by rising on the toes of the 
forward foot and giving a slight spring. 

p?x 14. From position 5 swing the 

arms forward, bending the body at 
the hips and bending the knees. 
The feet, with toes apart, remain 
with the soles fl'at on the floor ; the 
arms rest on the knees ; 
and the towel is near the 
floor directly in front of the feet and as 
far forward as possible. 

15. From position 9 the left arm, bent, 
is raised over the head in order to raise 
the towel upward directly behind the 
back. The right arm remains extended 
downward. The towel is raised by bend- 
ing the right arm and extending the left. 





GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 101 

After raising and lowering the towel some five times 
reverse the process, the right arm bending above the 
head and the left arm extending downward. Finally 
the towel moves up and down behind the back, while 
deep breath is taken and held. 

When the exercises are once learned, they are the 
best of tonics, and all the more exhilarating if done 
to music when the class is together. The children 
should also be encouraged to practise them regularly 
at home for perhaps five minutes just after the daily 
sponge-bath. The older ones especially, whose in- 
creased school studies are beginning to suggest round 
shoulders, will find the plan a great help. Their les- 
sons will be learned more quickly and easily because 
with the blood in active circulation the brain will be 
clearer. 

Bird Social. 

Choose a pleasant, sunny room for your bird social, 
deck it with green boughs and foliage, and provide 
places for a number of cages. Invite the Juniors all 
to come, and ask those that have canaries or other pet 
birds in cages to bring them. Of course this social 
must be held in the daytime, and in mild if not warm 
weather. If the moving is done gently, the birds will 
enjoy the social as much as the Juniors, or even more, 
and you will have a gay concert. Let some experi- 
enced bird-owner give a little talk to the Juniors on 
the best ways of caring for their birds. It will be 
likely to save the life of some feathered songster, for 



102 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

not every one, however careful and tender-hearted, un- 
derstands just how to keep the pets happy and healthy, 
as birds should be when at their best. 

It may interest the Juniors to know that one of King 
Edward's latest fancies is improving the singing of 
English canaries. He has had fitted up in Windsor 
Castle a large aviary to which hundreds of English 
canaries have been sent. Here bird-trainers from 
Germany are busy improving the voice of the English 
canary by means of " bird-organs M and the sugges- 
tion found in hearing the better-voiced German 
canary sing. The birds pass through a regular course 
of singing-lessons, and take from three to six months 
to "finish." 

After the talk about caring for birds, which should 
be so informal that the children should feel free to ask 
questions, a little fun is introduced in the way of a 
bird-guessing game, conducted as follows : 

Write on a blackboard, or blackboards, part or all 
of these twenty-four questions, which are plays on the 
names of well-known American birds. The guests 
should be provided with paper and pencils. Half an 
hour should be allowed for the guessing. At the end 
of that time everybody should pass his list to his right- 
hand neighbor and correct the list which has been 
handed to him. Some one should read the answers 
slowly. 

i. The way some English people pronounce a word 
which means " yell." (Owl — howl.) 
2. A letter of the alphabet. (Jay — J.) 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 103 

3. The bird that chews its cud. (Cowbird.) 

4. A bad-tempered William. (Crossbill.) 

5. The royal bird that is fond of a hook and line. 
(Kingfisher.) 

6. A good time in a field. (Meadow-lark.) 

7. The bird that ought to win every race. (Swift. ) 

8. The bird that is like a baby before it can walk. 
(Creeper.) 

9. The bird that Yale ought to like. (Blue- 
bird.) 

10. The bird that whacks everybody. (Thrasher.) 

11. The bird that is almost as important as the 
Pope. (Cardinal.) 

12. The bird that you mustn't stroke the wrong 
way. (Catbird.) 

13. The bird that is " talk." (Chat.) 

14. The bird that you never ought to do just be- 
cause you have beaten your friend at checkers or 
something. (Crow. ) 

15. An unusually small sample of a well known 
vegetable. (Peewee — pea wee.) 

16. A bird that is almost " her glove." (Hermit.) 

17. A bird that can fly when there is plenty of 
wind. (Kite.) 

18. Where bread is baked. (Ovenbird.) 

19. Something found on a tree and then put in a 
nest for a certain purpose. (Nuthatch.) 

20. A bird that is always thieving. (Robin — rob- 
bing 

21. A bird that makes good coasting. (Snowbird.) 



104 GOOD TI3IES WITH THE JUNIORS 

22. A bird that spanks an unfortunate boy having 
a common first name. (Whip-poor-will.) 

23. The bird that is a sweet-smelling tree. (Cedar- 
bird.) 

24. The sparrow that the hounds like to chase. 
(Fox-sparrow.) 

Most of the time will be spent in comparing experi- 
ences and pets, and the Juniors will go away more 
than ever resolved to be kind to their little feathered 
friends, which are among the most beautiful and most 
helpless of God's creatures. 

A Fairy Strawberry Festival. 

A strawberry luncheon given at the summer home 
of one of my Chicago friends reminded me that the 
Juniors would delight in a strawberry festival all their 
own. Where there is a hospitable farm or garden 
with a large strawberry-patch, whose owner agrees to 
give the berries for the festival if the Juniors will pick 
them, the way is open. 

Usually in our northern latitudes the strawberries 
ripen just in good time for the beginning of vacation, 
so that without interference with school preparations 
the Juniors can pick the berries in the morning while 
the dew is still on them. Twenty Juniors, each with 
pail or basket, will make short and merry work of the 
picking. Then the fruit should be kept in a cool 
place until afternoon, when it is taken to the church 
basement or wherever the festival is to be, and hulled. 



GOOD TIMES WITH TEE JUNIORS 105 

There might be a slight reward given to the Junior 
who picks the most berries, also to the one who hulls 
the most, provided that the hulling is done carefully. 

Cake and ice-cream should be previously engaged, 
and some of the boys may call for the cakes at the 
various homes in the afternoon. The ice-cream, of 
course, will be delivered by the dealer, unless that, 
also, is home-made and presented. Sugar for the 
berries must not be forgotten. 

With a few hints from the Junior superintendent the 
older girls can arrange the tables, decorating them as 
prettily as they please with flowers and ferns brought 
by the younger ones ; and the boys may help prepare 
the checks or tickets, with prices plainly marked. 
There should be separate checks for the berries, ice- 
cream, and cake, so that, whatever the order, the 
checks may be ready to send with each plate. 

If the occasion has been well advertised, as it will 
be — trust the Juniors for that ! — people will come in 
large numbers; and the Juniors, previously drilled, 
may wait on them, the larger ones attending to the 
"dishing out M in another room, while the smaller 
ones, dressed in fairy and brownie costumes, act as 
waiters. Two of the Juniors, a boy and a girl, might 
serve as cashiers. 

When all have been served, toward the close of the 
evening there may be several songs and recitations, 
ending with a fairy drill, following the plan of the 
"holly and mistletoe drill' ' described elsewhere in 
the book. If the room, or at least the wall back of 



106 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

the platform, be decorated in green or in pink, with 
roses and ferns in profusion, the drill will appear to 
better advantage. 

The Juniors and their superintendent will find 
plenty of work, as well as profit and play, in connec- 
tion with this occasion, as is the case with most straw- 
berry festivals ; but all will enjoy it ; and, if thought 
out well in advance, the details may be so divided as 
to make the labor light. The flower committee of the 
older society will readily lend a hand with the decora- 
tions if they are asked ; and the fancy drill could of 
course be omitted, although it is a very pretty feature. 
If given, it should be by the smaller Juniors, both 
boys and girls, in their fairy and brownie costumes, 
and all carrying small, light trays instead of half- 
hoops. 

A Pansy-Hunt. 

From the colored plates in flower catalogues, and 
from advertising and other picture cards, select those 
having pansies, the prettier the better. Let the Jun- 
iors help collect them. This in itself would seem to 
be a " pansy-hunt,' ' but it is only the beginning. 

When there are several hundred pansies, not as yet 
cut out, the Juniors may meet for their work. The 
first thing to be done is to cut out the pansies. This 
will not take long, and as the fingers fly some one may 
read aloud an entertaining story, perhaps a short one 
by " Pansy " ; or, if that is not at hand, a bright one 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 107 

from the latest Christian Endeavor World is always 
in order at such times. 

Next, the pansies are all placed in small, numbered 
envelopes, ten pansies in each, preparatory to playing 
the game of "butterfly pansy-hunt.' ' Half of the 
Juniors go out of the room, and the rest proceed to 
hide the envelopes. When called in, the hunting 
party, who are the " butterflies, ' ' have a grand rum- 
mage, and the " butterfly M that finds the most pansies 
is made the leader of the hiding party next time. The 
divisions are reversed so that the hiders become the 
butterflies each time that the pansies are all found. 
As the envelopes are numbered, it is easy to determine 
when this is the case. Quick wits in thinking of new 
places, and sharp eyes for discovering them, are thus 
kept busy, and when tired of this game the Juniors 
may all be seated again around a long table while the 
superintendent produces a large pasteboard box with 
a pansy-decorated cover. Explaining that pansies 
mean " thoughts,' ' and that this box is full of bright 
and sweet thoughts to be used for people who have not 
quite so much to make them happy as the Juniors, she 
invites the children to a new kind of pansy-hunt, 
which is not entirely for themselves. 

The box is passed around, and each Junior takes 
out a handful of the clippings, which, needless to say, 
have been carefully gathered by the superintendent 
and her friends, so that each one contains a thought 
worth reading, and within the comprehension of the 
Juniors. Selections found in books could be used also 



108 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

by typewriting them on slips of paper, and might in- 
clude a number from the Bible. Several rolls of baby 
ribbon, one each of all the different pansy colors, 
should be in the box. 

When the Juniors are supplied with a handful of 
thoughts apiece, give to each a pen and ink and a 
package of little cards. These cards should be a 
trifle larger than visiting-cards, or just large enough to 
contain one of the short written selections and a 
pansy. Let the children copy on the cards, in their 
own handwriting, from the clippings the ones which 
they like best ; this will leave the original clippings to 
be used again for other purposes. Each Junior may 
write seven, one for each day in the week, after past- 
ing a pansy on each card ; then tie a ribbon a few 
inches long through a hole in one corner, leaving one 
end free, and tie the free ends of all seven ribbons to- 
gether so that they can be hung up. If the ribbons 
used are as many as possible of the different pansy 
colors for each bunch, the effect will be extremely pretty. 
Some of the more skilful workers may find that they 
have time to prepare a second bunch in the same way. 

These handfuls of thoughts may then be sent where 
they will be most appreciated, and the pansy-hunt will 
have served, at the very lowest estimate, a double 
purpose. 

A Rainy Fourth. 

There are bright possibilities in every cloud, and 
even a rainy Fourth of July is no exception. So the 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 109 

Joyville Juniors discovered. Of course, they were 
intending to have a picnic, besides enjoying the 
regulation fireworks; and here was a cold, steady 
drizzle, for all the world as if it were November. 

Great were the lamentations ; but just as the 
" Sultan of Sulkydom " was about to have every- 
thing his own way he was put to rout by a big 
covered wagon driven around from one house to an- 
other where the Joyville Juniors lived. There were 
twenty-three of them in the society; but sixteen 
houses contained them all, and fourteen of these were 
quite close together ; so it was not more than an hour 
before the last youngsters were collected and all were 
landed in the big upper room of Judge Elsworth's 
house. Miss Elsworth, the Junior superintendent, 
welcomed them with a certain twinkle of the eyes 
which made every Junior instantly conclude that in 
spite of the rain they would manage to have a good 
time. 

" Just wait a minute until the Independence Wizard 
comes in," said Miss Elsworth mysteriously, " and 
then the best part of the fun will begin." 

The children were breathless. Presently there were 
three sharp raps at the door, and the Independence 
Wizard was ushered in. 

Two artistically draped table-covers, a wig, mask, 
skull-cap, and glasses had transformed Miss Els- 
worth's brother into a very presentable wizard, and 
after entertaining the children for a half-hour with 
parlor magic he produced from apparently nowhere a 



110 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

bundle of bright-colored tissue-paper, some tinsel, a 
rubber ball, a large potato, a dried sunflower stalk, 
and several other mysterious things, and said : 
" Presto ! change ! The weather is not quite all we 
expected outdoors ; but we are independent, and will 
make our own fair weather right here. We will make 
our own fireworks, too, and fire them off without even 
waiting till night. That is what wizards are good for, 
if they are Independence Wizards ; and every one of 
you is going to learn the wizard trade, beginning this 
very minute ; that is, if you want to. Do you ? " 

Of course they did, and the girls were assured that 
this splendid offer included them too ; for would they 
not make the very best of witches ? 

With the aid of his sister, who had mysteriously 
disappeared a short time before, and who reappeared 
now as the Independence Witch, with a book of 
magic all her own in the form of a magazine saved for 
just such an emergency, the wizard soon had the 
children absorbed in making the charming paper 
fireworks fully described by Lina Beard in The 
Delineator for July, 1902. They can be fired off in- 
doors as well as outdoors ; and the gorgeous comets, 
brilliant pinwheels, sparkling calumet with its bright 
sparks flying all over the hair and clothing of the ex- 
perimenters, the sunflower-stalk sky-rocket, and the 
bamboo pistol with potato bullets, were all as fascinat- 
ing as they were harmless. 

After the bright showers indoors had made the 
revellers quite forget the dull showers outside, a giant 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 111 

firecracker candy-box was called into use ; and with 
songs, stories, and a lunch which disappeared so 
rapidly as to convince any skeptic of the acquired 
magical powers of those present, the fireworks were 
sorted out, and many of them were found to be quite 
uninjured. These were carefully packed in a box for 
the Children's Home, and the Juniors voted that 
rainy day the best Independence celebration ever held 
in Joyville. 

An Indian Festival. 

Chicago's one hundredth birthday was the oc- 
casion of a celebration interesting to many thousands, 
and not the least interesting feature was the Indian 
village in Lincoln Park. Picturesque in their typical 
costumes, the red men appeared much as their 
ancestors did a century ago. From Chief No-zu- 
kah, the medicine-man in his coonskin cap and red 
blanket, who rattled his medicine-bags as he walked, 
down to six-year-old Hach-si-acha, the braves and 
squaws were the centre of attraction; and this, to- 
gether with an Indian festival once successfully given 
by a wide-awake older Endeavor society, inclines me to 
think that the Juniors should have one of their own, 
improving on all former undertakings of the kind, 
and perhaps on nature as well ! 

War-paint and feathers, beads, blankets, and 
moccasins, should be brought into use for the 
costumes. Decorate the rooms with plenty of boughs 
and foliage, to represent a woodland scene; hang 



112 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

cages of singing birds from the branches ; and have 
a wigwam in one corner, with a buffalo robe spread 
in front of its entrance. Two Junior " Indian " girls 
who have learned the now popular basket-weaving, 
may be seated here at their work, with finished 
baskets for sale. One or more flower-girls may- 
wander about, selling colored grasses and other 
similar treasures. One of the Junior boys may rep- 
resent a medicine- man, and sell roots and herbs : 
another may sell bows and arrows to all who wish to 
test their skill at the target, which must be so placed 
that stray shots can do no damage. A loan exhibi- 
tion of Indian curios will be instructive, if there is 
some one to explain them ; and the Indian portraits, 
in colors, to be found among the Perry Pictures, will 
prove interesting. A fancy-work booth may contain 
feather fans, dainty bags of beadwork, dolls dressed 
as pappooses and squaws, and birch bark made into 
all kinds of pretty conceits, from toy canoes to bon- 
bon-boxes filled with salted nuts instead of candy. 

The bows and arrows will play a lively part in the 
evening's festivities. A small sum may be charged 
for each trial, if desired. Archery is said to be the 
coming sport ; and, if it is indeed soon to be revived 
from its centuries of partial sleep, and thus rival golf 
and other favorites, one cannot begin to practise too 
soon ! It is certainly graceful, healthful, and fascinat- 
ing enough to warrant the revival. 

Refreshments should be nuts and fruits, delicious 
in themselves, but served on wooden plates by 



GOOD TI31ES WITH THE JUNIORS 113 

"Indian" waitresses in the most primitive manner. 
A programme might be rendered beginning with a 
reading from "Hiawatha" illustrated with tableaux, 
which the Juniors, with careful training, can present 
as well as any one ; including also an Indian hunter's 
drill with bows and arrows, in which either boys alone, 
or girls alone, or both boys and girls, might take part ; 
and closing with all the Juniors' forming in line and 
uttering a war-whoop, which if not realistic will be 
at least startling. 

A Boys' Book Party. 

Library parties for grown people are common 
enough, but the boys should have a costume book party 
of their own. The more boys present, the better. 
The following suggestions for costumes may be helpful : 

i. "Black Beauty." A good-looking boy in 
burnt cork. 

2. "Little Men." Two or more brothers or 
friends wearing high hats, long-tailed coats, etc. 

3. " Pilgrim's Progress." A boy wearing a gown 
and carrying a staff. The word " Mecca" should be 
printed on a label fastened to his breast. 

4. " Tom Saw-yer." A boy whose real name is 
Tom should raise a telescope to his eyes every few 
minutes. 

5. "Rob Roy." A red-haired boy in Highland 
costume. The plaid should be correct. 

6. "Kenilworth." (Kennel worth.) A boy lead- 
ing his pet dog. 



114 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

7. " Under the Lilacs." A boy wearing a gar- 
land of real or artificial lilacs. 

8. " Under Drake's Flag." A boy wearing the 
British flag as a turban. 

9. " Merry adventures of Rob-in Hood.' ' A boy 
named Robert wearing his sister's hood. 

10. "St. Nicholas." A boy dressed as Santa 
Claus. 

11. "The Pirate." A boy dressed as a typical 
pirate. 

12. " Story of a Bad Boy." A boy wearing a 
placard on which is printed " The History of My 
Life. " 

13. "Boys of '76." Two boys, each wearing a 
placard marked, "100 — 24." 

14. "Recollections of a Drummer-Boy." A boy 
with a drum. On a placard is written, " Forty Years 
Ago. " 

15. "Sketch-Book." A boy carrying a drawing- 
book under his arm. 

Thirty is a good number to be present at a book 
party. All the guests should send their book-titles to 
the host of the evening two or three days before the 
party. At the door each boy should be handed a 
pencil, a blank sheet of paper, and a numbered card 
which he should pin to his back or sleeve. Half an 
hour should be allowed for guessing the names. One 
reward might be a book like Kipling's " Barrack-Room 
Ballads," or "Seven Seas; " another, a paper-cutter; 
and, for the shortest list, a blank book. Ice-cream and 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 115 

cake have nothing to do with books, but should be 
served just the same, if possible, to comfort the losers. 

Card-Pasting. 

A good variation from making scrap-books for a 
children's hospital, especially if the workers happen to 
be few, is to use large cards, preparing them like the 
different pages of a picture scrap-book, but leaving 
them separate. Then they can be easily handed from 
one bed to another ; and, as they can be divided 
among the different children, they can be seen by 
many at once without waiting till enough whole scrap- 
books can be filled. Ten Juniors can easily prepare 
fifty cards in a single afternoon, but the pictures will 
be most interesting if weeks are spent in collecting 
them. 

Take large white or delicately tinted cards about 
eighteen inches long and twelve inches wide. Paste 
on them gay pictures cut from advertising cards and 
other sources, arranging them according to taste. 
One card could be a menagerie, or a " Noah's ark, " 
with a long procession of animals winding all around 
from top to bottom. Such a card once made had an ar- 
ray that would have astonished Noah. There were dan- 
cing bears, and elephants with howdahs on their backs, 
and circus horses, and monkeys dressed like Italian 
lazzaroni, and pigs with apples in their mouths, and 
even a Christmas turkey carried on the heads of three 
geese. Another card could be made up entirely of 
flowers or of flowers, birds, and butterflies. Another 



116 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

could contain ships, sea-gulls, fishes, and some shells 
on a supposed beach at the bottom. Funny groups 
of people doing all sorts of things can be arranged. 

Some of the figures can be cut from newspapers or 
old magazines ; if bright colors are desired, a paint- 
box can be brought into service, but usually the un- 
colored pages are very acceptable mixed in with those 
cut from colored plates and cards. 

Sometimes figures cut from stiff cards will not be 
easy to paste, but by spreading them (on the wrong 
side, of course) with a rather thin boiled flour paste, 
and letting them lie for a few moments, they become 
softer and more pliable. 

Climbing the Bean-Stalk. 

A barn with a captivating hay-loft, a stout ladder 
with a vine thickly twined around it, some croquet- 
balls, four Indian clubs, a pointer, and a supply of ap- 
ples, oranges, and small bags of nuts or cracker -jack, are 
all that you will need — except the Juniors, who are 
most necessary of all. 

" Climbing the bean-stalk " consists of going up the 
ladder to the giant's castle, — the very same castle, in 
imagination, explored by the immortal Jack, — and 
finding and taking possession of the treasures. This 
means a hunt in the hay for the apples and other 
things previously hidden there. The pointer, 
croquet-balls, and Indian clubs may be tucked in to 
add variety to the store. 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 117 

After the treasures are all discovered and safely 
brought down the bean-stalk, the Juniors will enjoy 
a game of " croquet-bowling." A sufficient space 
should be cleared on the barn floor, and the four 
Indian clubs should be set up at one end as pins, three 
in a row behind the king-pin. The bowling is then 
done with the croquet-balls. 

The party may conclude with an impromptu " freak 
show/' using the hay-loft as a pedestal from which to 
display the "freaks." This is where your pointer 
comes in. The amount of fun to be had from a 
"freak show" can be best understood if I give you 
the description of Vincent Van M. Beede's, in his 
own words, only remarking that the barn adds to the 
general hilarity, and that one of the Indian clubs 
would do very well instead of the suggested andiron. 

" One rainy morning last summer the children and 
I had great fun getting up a freak show. As we had 
not thought out beforehand what we were going to do, 
things were all the funnier. Little Marvyn, seven 
years old, stood on a table and chose to be Pullaway, 
the Boy with the Rubber Skin. 

" I was asked to be lecturer, so with a pointer in 
my hand I explained as glibly as I could how marvel- 
lous a boy this was. Why, he could stretch out the 
skin of his cheeks two feet, and then let it snap back 
again ! (Pullaway now showed his power.) Martin, 
a handsome fellow of twelve, was Stickeminus, the 
Human Pincushion. I showed the (imaginary) 
audience that pins had no effect on the feelings of this 



118 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

wonder. i I will stick a pin into his arm this very 
minute/ I said. Strange to say, the Human Pin- 
cushion squealed ! Fritz, thirteen years old, who has a 
beautiful physique, was Lomposo Musculario, the 
Strong Man. ' See him lift that mighty andiron/ I re- 
marked. i It weighs 555 1-5 pounds.' Lomposo puffed 
and groaned under his heavy burden. Essie wanted 
to be the Fat Lady ; I suppose because as a matter of 
fact she is very slender. It was surprising how much 
she succeeded in blowing out her cheeks. Madeleine, 
Champion Pie-Eater of the World, gobbled up any- 
where from fifty to seventy-five (imaginary) mince 
pies, and Jolliby, as Burroo, the One Armed Wild 
Man of Borneo, seized my arm in his teeth while I 
was telling what a dangerous creature he was. The 
other freaks set up a chorus of alarm, and I do not 
know what would have become of me if Winkles, who 
was the Very Wildest Man, had not grappled in deadly 
combat with Burroo ; and, if Madeleine had not of- 
fered them her best (imaginary) pies, they would, I 
fear, have devoured each other on the spot." 

Advertising-Carnival. 

Having made out a list, for your own convenience, 
of well-known business firms, local or otherwise, 
whose names could be represented by costumes, let 
each Junior come dressed to represent one of the 
firms. For instance, Marshall Field's might be por- 
trayed by a boy in a soldier's uniform, with dried 
grasses and other field treasures extending from 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 119 

pockets and buttonholes ; Macy's, by a girl named 
May, or dressed as queen of the May, with a placard 
attached bearing the letter "C." The same letter, 
worn by a boy carrying a gallon can, a hammer, and 
a barrel-hoop, would answer for " Siegel and Cooper.' ' 
" Tiffany' ' might be portrayed by a picture of two 
people having a slight quarrel, the picture being 
fastened to the costume of a girl named Fannie or 
Annie, or to that of a boy carrying a large palm-leaf 
fan and limping as if one knee were affected. 

Local firms, however, should predominate, and the 
utmost secrecy should prevail in all the preparations. 
When the evening of the carnival has arrived in all its 
glory, give each guest a pencil and paper, and reward 
with some gift the one who can without assistance 
make out the longest correct list of firms represented. 
Such an occasion would be interesting to others be- 
sides the Juniors ; and a charge for admission might 
be made, in which case a light repast should be 
served, and a fancy march of the various " walking 
advertisements " should add to the attractions. 

This occasion might be combined, if desired, with 
the "evening with ads" described elsewhere in the 
book. 

Parlor Golf Party. 

Most boys and girls are somewhat familiar with 
golf, and the Juniors will probably prove no exception. 
Any kind of "parlor golf" may be introduced, as 
simple or as elaborate as you please. Here is one kind 



120 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

that must be interesting, called " Quiet Go-lol-uf," 
and explained by Vincent Van M. Beede as follows : 

"This game is meant especially for boys and girls 
who know something about the royal and ancient game 
of 'golf* sometimes called ' go-lol-uf ' just for fun. 
Seat your friends about a table, pass around pencils 
and paper, and then say : 

" < We are going to play go-lol-uf. I hope you 
won't squabble much. This game is a little different 
from the outdoor kind. Here you are expected not 
to get into a hole. I shall pass to each of you a card 
on which is written something about golf. Write 
your answers on the large sheets ; and don't forget, 
please, to write your names at the bottom of the 
sheets. Number the answers, of course. At the end 
£)f every two minutes I shall yell " Fore ! M and every- 
body must pass his card to his left-hand neighbor.' 

" Here is a list of terms : 

" i. A dancing-party. (Ball.) 

2. A drink. (Tea.) 

3. A box in which to keep the vegetable from which 
this drink is made. (Caddie — Caddy.) 

4. A society. (Club.) 

5. The man who rows next the coxswain in a rac- 
ing-shell. (Stroke.) 

6. A common color. (Green.) 

7. Bold. (Brass(e)y.) 

8. The man who holds the reins. (Driver.) 

9. A number. (Fore — four.) 

10. A guess. (Hazard.) 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 121 

ii. Used for smoothing clothes. (Iron.) 

12. A story that is not true. (Lie.) 

13. A piece. (Slice.) 

14. Something with which one eats. (Spoon.) 

15. The noise made by an animal that does not 
like Thanksgiving. (Gobble.) 

16. A place where hay is kept. (Loft.) 

"The rewards might be a golf-club, a scarf-pin, a 
score-book, a pair of balls, or a rubber tee." 

Another game of golf is the one played on a table 
wound with a somewhat crumpled cloth. Each 
player is furnished with a pea and a pin by way of 
ball and stick. It is very good fun when there are 
players enough to make the contest exciting ; for the 
winner is the player who is first to roll the pea up to 
goal. The pea that collides with another, or pushes 
it, or even touches it, is sent back to the starting- 
point. 

Other games mentioned elsewhere in the book may 
be substituted for one or the other of these, in case not 
all present are enthusiasts on golf; but the second one 
could be adapted to the veriest novice, while interesting 
to all. Refreshments of cake and chocolate may be 
served, and it would add to the fun if the small iced 
cakes were decorated with various golf emblems. 

Mysterious Basket-Bali. 

Collect the materials, either with or without the 
Juniors' help, beginning some time in advance. When 



122 GOOD TI3IES WITH THE JUNIORS 

the time comes to have the "ball," the more mystery 
the better. 

Place a large basket or clothes-hamper in the mid- 
dle of the room. This is the " mysterious basket " 
part, and each Junior is then told to help himself to 
his "ball," one of the many bundles wrapped up to 
look as nearly like balls as possible, all the way from 
the size of a baseball to that of a basket-ball. 

Have ready plenty of scissors, paste, glue, needles, 
thread, and the celluloid thimbles that can be bought 
for a cent or two apiece. As each " ball " is opened, 
it proves to hold the materials for making a small 
Christmas gift or article for a fair to be given by the 
Juniors, or for a Junior fancy-work booth at a 
" grown-up " fair. 

Many simple and inexpensive articles, both pretty 
and useful, can be made by children of Junior age, 
both girls and boys. If a piece of work which is all 
sewing happens to be drawn by a boy, so much the 
more fun. The Junior superintendent acts as "um- 
pire," answering questions and explaining the rules of 
the game. A thimble worn on the thumb is " foul," 
even if the fingers do seem to be all thumbs, which is 
often far from being the case. 

Here is a partial list of articles which might be made : 

i. Stamp-box, of heavy water-color paper, ready 
cut out. The one who draws this bundle will have an 
easy task ; merely to fold the box into shape, paste 
the flaps on the inside, decorate the cover with a two- 
cent stamp, and tie it in place with a ribbon. 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIOBS 123 

2. Chamois spectacle-cleaner, cut in any fancy 
shape; two pieces buttonhole-stitched around the 
edge with colored silk, and caught together with fancy 
ribbon. 

3. Pocket pincushion made of two pieces of stiff 
cardboard covered first with a thin layer of cotton 
batting, then with wide fancy ribbon ; sewed together 
around the edge and filled with several kinds and sizes 
of pins. 

4. Chinese pen-wiper made of two nutshells glued 
together to make a head ; a pigtail of braided horse- 
hair; a Chinese costume of red cloth with several 
flannel leaves under the loose, short coat ; ink features 
for the face ; and, if one likes, Chinese hieroglyphics 
in ink decorating the costume. 

5. Match-scratcher. Cardboard foundation, with 
a strip of blue paper pasted across the top to represent 
sky; a strip of green paper of the same width, pasted 
across the bottom for grass ; a larger strip of red 
paper between, marked off with ink to represent a 
brick wall ; a cat made of emery paper seated on the 
grass facing the wall. 

6. Recipe-holder, of two teapots or teakettles cut 
from celluloid, tied together with ribbon and decorated 
with water-colors in lettering or other design. 

7. Blotter, calendar, and pen -wiper combined. A 
dozen pieces of colored blotting-paper tied together 
with a ribbon ; the outer one with a picture and a 
small calendar pad pasted on ; or there may be a 
cover made of white cardboard decorated with gold 



124 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

or silver paper bells, or with flowers or leaves carefully 
and separately cut from Japanese tissue-paper napkins 
and pasted on. A tiny pen-wiper made of several 
circles of chamois is to be tied in one corner. 

8. Cover for a kodak album, made of rough, 
heavy tan or brown writing-paper with a target in the 
centre. The target is made by pasting four paper 
circles of contrasting colors, one over the other, 
each smaller than the last, the smallest one in the 
centre being the bull's-eye; and printing, each side 
of the target, in gold or white, the words " Snap- 
Shots/ ' 

9. Court-plaster case of water-color paper, tied 
together with ribbon, the cover decorated with a pic- 
ture, the leaves of court-plaster. 

10. Shaving-paper "snowballs." These are very 
pretty, and are made of many circles of white tissue- 
paper caught together in the same way as a ball pen- 
wiper, and furnished with a hanging loop of red 
ribbon. 

11. Pen-wipers of several thicknesses of felt, cut 
out leaf-shape or flower shape, and held together with 
a bow and ends of ribbon. 

12. Junior "comfort-powders." Tie a cheery 
Bible verse or other pleasant message in a piece of 
fringed tissue-paper ; then tie fifty-two of these in a 
bunch, one for each week in the year. Or the Juniors 
might combine in this, and make the powders daily 
ones. 

Other articles, as simple or more elaborate, will be 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 125 

thought of in abundance; pretty ironing-holders, 
hair-receivers, dusters and duster-bags, sweeping-caps, 
lamp-mats, dinner cards, whisk-broom-holders, etc. 
The work, if well prepared in advance, could prob- 
ably be done by the Juniors in an hour at the longest ; 
some of it in much less. Rewards should be given, 
not for the most rapid work, but for that most neatly 
done. The " umpire" may enlist the aid of one or 
more of her friends in preparing the work, giving in- 
structions, and assigning rewards, especially if there 
are many of the small workers ; and the Juniors may 
be allowed to exchange tasks if thought desirable. 

After the work is done, and while the committee is 
deciding as to its merits, the "ball-team" may in- 
dulge in refreshments in the appropriate globular form 
of doughnuts, oranges, or pop-corn balls ; after which 
the afternoon may close with the award of the gifts and 
a stirring game of real basket-ball ; or, if it is in the 
evening, or too late in the season for this out-of-door 
sport, try a game of "Little Queen Fluff" instead. 
"Little Queen Fluff" is a ball of cotton covered with 
colored crape paper. Place the chairs two feet apart 
in a line across the centre of the room ; arrange the 
Juniors one opposite each chair, against the wall on 
both sides of the room ; give one of these balls and a 
palm-leaf fan to each; and let them see which can 
most successfully send his own particular "Little 
Queen Fluff" through her castle underneath the 
centre of the chair, to the opposite side of the room. 
The side which gets all its balls across the room first, 



126 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

fanning them by way of the " castle M underneath the 
centre of the chair, wins the game. 

A Puritan Thanksgiving Dinner. 

This is a combination affair, enlisting Endeavorers 
of all ages ; but the Juniors' part in it is an impor- 
tant one. The main idea is to make it a pleasant oc- 
casion, not only for those who would have a Thanks- 
giving feast anyway, but for as many as possible who 
would otherwise go without. The very poorest 
should be hunted up and included in the invita- 
tions. 

Let me tell you how the plan was once carried out 
by a lady and her little fourteen-year-old niece, whom 
we will call Priscilla. The writer says : 

" With the help of kind friends and faithful Bridget 
we made very much of a success of our dinner, and 
many a poor soul was made happy for one day at 
least. For several weeks previous, Priscilla and I spent 
our evenings by the great fire in the big kitchen, dress- 
ing Puritan dolls for the children, and making other 
gifts. Priscilla asked old sailor Hogan to make for 
her a small model of the Mayflower such as she had 
seen in Pilgrim Hall at Plymouth, and after we had 
stretched the old mahogany table to its fullest extent, 
which reached almost the entire length of the kitchen, 
and covered it with Grandmother Alden's white 
damask banquet-cloth, Priscilla placed the little ship 
in the centre on a large mirror. The frame of the 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 127 

mirror we concealed with sea-sand, shells, and peb- 
bles ; and on one side we placed a large stone which 
John had carved into the shape of the dear old rock 
on which our Pilgrim Fathers landed. We scattered 




DlAGEAM 1. 



over all this thin flaky cotton sprinkled with crystal- 
lized alum to imitate snow, and the little Puritan dolls 
on deck made the scene very realistic. The body of 
the ship we filled with our gifts. 




Diagram 2. 

"Priscilla made fruit-baskets, and bowls for the 
nuts and candy, out of pumpkins. John sawed three 
large bright yellow ones for her as shown in the dia- 



196 GOOD TIMES WITH TEE JUNIOBS 

grams. After these had been scooped out, using the 
contents tor pies, and dried thoroughly, we placed 
them on the table on mats of green tissue-paper cut 
in the shape of pumpkin leaves. The effect against 
the white cloth was quite pretty. For each of our 
poorer guests we made an old-fashioned reticule of yel- 
low cloth tied with green braid. In these we placed a 
pair of woollen gloves, two pairs of woollen stockings or 
socks, a handkerchief, a cake of soap, and an order for 
a stout pair of shoes. In the way of gifts for the other 
guests there were little keepsakes such as pumpkin 
pincushions made of yellow silk and tied with green 
ribbons, Plymouth Rock paper-weights, and little 
models of Governor Carver's chair in which we tied 
yellow pincushions with green ribbons. There were 
napkin-rings, needle-books, stamp-boxes, paper-cut- 
ters, and pin-trays, all with engravings of the May- 
flower or some Pilgrim emblem. We had plenty of 
dinner for all. There was everything required for a 
Thanksgiving feast, from the turkey and cranberry 
sauce to plum pudding, into which Bridget had put 
plenty of plums. All who helped in receiving dressed 
in Puritan costumes. 

•• After the dinner had been eaten and the presents 
distributee.. Miss Katherine Anderson, one of the 
teachers in the public school, gave a little talk, for 
fear the significance of the occasion might escape some 
of the most ignorant ; but I am glad to say that there 
were none except the very smallest who did not know 
the history of our Pilgrim Fathers. The ladies of our 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUN10BS 129 

old town have decided to give a dinner of this kind 
every Thanksgiving.' ' 

When the Endeavorers are to give such a dinner, 
the little address would naturally be by the pastor, 
and the Juniors' part of the preparations might well 
begin with the "mysterious basket-ball" described 
elsewhere in the book. In this case the small articles 
to be made or decorated would of course consist 
wholly of such as would be adapted for gifts at the 
dinner, and the Juniors should be told of the plan at 
the beginning of their work. They could also help 
jn dressing the Puritan dolls and in receiving the 
guests ; and, if they wish to do more, they might give 
a "Mayflower drill" in Puritan costume. 

An entertainment of this kind could also be siven 
to raise money for the church or society. In such 
cases, of course, the philanthropic features would be 
omitted, an admission fee charged, and the articles 
from the Mayflower sold. 



Teddy and the Goblin. 



(Teddys Dream on Christmas Morn!) 
By Mattie-Marie Gamble. 

The necessary requirements are a cot, a chair, a 
candle and candlestick, a large stocking, a small 
camera, and a large wooden frame with an opening 
about five feet square. The frame might be gilded 
or covered with yellow Canton flannel, and should 
have a support at the back of each side to hold it 
firmly in an upright position. There should be a box 
or platform high enough to be on a level with the 
lower edge of the opening of the frame, back of it. 

The stage should represent a scene in the woods, 
with an abundance of green foliage ; and leaves or 
green cloth should cover the floor. Near the back 
of the stage should be a curtain that could be drawn 
to each side, on which are painted trees, etc., to carry 
out the woods effect. 

Back of this curtain arrange a small sleeping-room, 
in which are placed the cot and the chair with the 
candle on it ; and in some prominent place is hung 
the stocking, well stuffed, with the small camera peep- 
ing out at the top. 

130 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 131 

Characters. 

Teddy, A little boy of ten years. 

Fun, A little old goblin. 

Red Ridinghood and Wolf, 

Old Woman With Broom. 

Jack the Giant-Killer, 

The Giant. 

Jack and Jill. 

Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son. 

Jack-be-Nimble. 

Bo-Peep. 

Simple Simon. 



Costumes. 

Teddy. Long nightgown reaching to just above 
the ankles, barefooted, and hair tousled. 

Fun, the goblin. A boy of twelve or fourteen 
years, quite small for his age. Long beard, pointed 
shoes that turn up at the toes, long belted blouse and 
tight knee pants, stocking cap with tassel. 

Red Ridinghood. Long red cloak and hood and 
a basket. A large dog may represent the wolf. 

Old Woman. Pointed hat with brim. Old 
shoulder-shawl and dress to ankles, carrying a dilapi- 
dated broom. 

Jack the Giant-Killer. Page's costume and 
sword. 

Giant. Very large man. Any fantastic costume. 

Jack and Jill. Dressed as country children and 
carrying a pail, Jill with sunbonnet. 



132 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son. Boy about sixteen, tall 
and slender ; short waistcoat, trousers above shoe-tops, 
little old hat on back of head ; a pig made of white 
Canton flannel under his arm. Or, if a small live pig 
could be procured, it would add to the merriment. 

Jack-be-Nimble. Small boy in short waistcoat and 
trousers, with candle in candlestick. 

Bo-Peep. Shepherdess costume. Long crook with 
ribbon tied on end. 

Simple Simon. Trousers to shoe-tops; straight 
ragged garment extending almost to knees, and left 
open at neck; hair tousled. A tin pail and a rod 
about two feet in length with long string tied to it and 
piece of bent wire attached to the end of string. 

Time. Just before dawn Christmas morning. 



SCENE opens on the little bedroom. Teddy 
asleep on the cot. Keep the front of the stage as 
dark as possible during this scene, with woods 
curtain drawn aside, and throw a dim light on 
the bedroom from behind the scenes. 

Teddy (waking, sitting up in bed, and rubbing his 
eyes). My, but it's dark ! I wonder if Santa Claus 
has been here yet. Guess I'll see. (Strikes a match, 
and lights the candle, holds it above his head, and 
peers around. Suddenly seeing the stocking fairly 
bulging with gifts, he puts the candle on the chair, 
bounds out of bed, and makes a dive for the stocking. 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 133 

When about to take it down, he hesitates.') I know it 
ain't time, but I just can't wait. I'll just take one 
thing out. {Reaches up carefully and takes down 
camera?) My ! if it ain't the camera I wrote to 
Santa Claus for. I wonder how it works. {Turn- 
ing it over.) I'll take Rover's picture the very first 
one. {Dances back to bed, camera in hand, and, 
pulling the covers over him, begins examining it. 
Yawns several times, and talks in a sleepy voice.) 
Won't ma and pa be {yawns) surprised — when — they 
— see — {yawns again) — it, though? — Wish — I — 
could {Falls asleep.) 

{In runs little old goblin, frolics around the room 
a little, blows out the candle, and perches himself 
on the foot of the bed.) 

Fun. Aha ! been into your stocking already, have 
you ? and sound asleep again. Well, well {then talk- 
ing to himself), I will just wake him up in dreamland, 
and have a little fun with him. {Turning to Teddy.) 
Well, Master Teddy, how are you ? Merry Christmas ! 

Teddy {very sleepy and still holding on to camera). 
How do you do? — but I — I don't know you. What 
is your name ? and where am I ? 

Fun. That's so! Why, you are in dreamland; 
and you don't know me ? — ha ! ha ! — well, my 
name's Fun. You think that a queer name ? Well, 
I took that name because, you see, people are always 
wanting to do things " just for fun," and so I thought 
I would be well taken care of ! 



134 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

Teddy. I wish I could take a picture with my 
new camera just for fun, but I don't know how. 

Fun. Is that so ? Why, I can take fine pictures. 
Just come with me into the woods, and I will show 
you. (Jumps down and pills Teddy, with camera, 
out of bed by the hand. Teddy hangs back as if 
frightened.) O, don't be afraid. I will take good 
care of you, and bring you back again. Come on ; 
we will take pictures of Mother Goose children in the 

woods. 

Teddy. O— real sure 'nough live children? 
Fun. Yes, I should say so. I know them all- 
Jack and Jill and Red Ridinghood and 

Teddy (excitedly). And Jack the Giant-Killer ? 
Fun. Yes — all of them. 

Teddy. O, let's hurry ! (No longer holds back, 
but runs out, pulling Fun after him. As they leave, 
the foliage curtains should be quickly drawn together, 
leaving only the woods, and the light should now be 
turned on that scene. Enter Fun and Teddy, looking 
around. Teddy disappointed^ I don't see anybody. 
Fun. Just wait. Now you stand behind the tree 
and watch. Keep quiet. (Enter Red Ridinghood 
talking to the wolf, the dog. While she is talking, 
Fun takes the camera, and turns it in her direction. 
A stout rubber band can be attached to the camera so 
that no one can see it, and he snaps it very loud as he 
takes the picture. Fun turns to Teddy and grins.) 
I got that one ; now we must get ready for the next. 
( Winds screw. At the same instant some one behind 



GOOD TI3IES WITH THE JUNIORS 135 

the scenes winds an old clock or something that makes 
an equally loud sound. This should be done each 
time a picture is taken. Just as he is ready for the 
next, Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son, runs across the 
stage with pig, and Fun jumps quickly to snap the 
camera. Fun turns to Teddy and winks.) Nearly 
lost that one. ( Winds again. After that the rest of 
the characters come in, in quick succession, so that all 
of them are hi almost at the same time, each of course 
in his or her own way. Simple Simon should set his 
mother ] s pail down at one side and begin fishing in it, 
always looking as silly as possible. Jack-be-Nimble 
places his lighted candle on the floor, and frequently 
jumps lightly back and forth over it. hi the mean- 
time the giant has lain down asleep, and Jack the 
Giant-Killer has taken his position with one foot on 
gianfs chest and sword in hand ; Bo-Peep has fallen 
asleep, and so on. Fun skips in and out among them, 
snapping o?ie picture after another, always winding 
after each. Finally he stops.) I wonder if I have 
them all. 

Teddy (in loud whisper). You didn't get the 
giant. (Is so interested that he forgets to keep back, 
and finds himself in the centre of the stage.) 

Fun. Why, I forgot Little Bo-Peep ! and the dear 
child is fast asleep. (Snaps camera again. At the 
same time, seeing Teddy, the children all begin to 
laugh and dance around him, having lots of fun. 
Teddy becomes frightened, and, burying his face in 
his hands, cries aloud. Fun runs to him, and when 



136 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

the children see the gob/in they alt scamper off the 
stage, Bo-Peep and the giant disappearing with the 
rest.) What is the matter, my little friend ? 

Teddy. I'm so {sobs) scared ! 

Fun. Scared at what ? 

Teddy. Because they're all around me. 

Fun. Who ? 

Teddy {looking up wonderingly). Why ! — why, 
where are they ? 

Fun. You crazy child, who are you talking about ? 

Teddy. Red Ridinghood and Jack the Giant- 
Killer and — and all the rest ! 

Fun. Ha ! ha ! {Laughing heartily.') You don't 
understand them. Now you see them and now you 
don't. 

Teddy. Wish I could see them again, but 1 don't 
want them to see me. 

Fun. Well, the pictures are all ready now, and 
they are fine ones, too. One hundred times larger 
than your camera. Think of it 1 Would you like to 
see them now ? 

Teddy. Well, I should say so ! 

Fun. All right ; here goes. First we will have 
Little Red Ridinghood. {During the performance in 
the woods the cot, chair, etc., should be removed and 
the large frame with platform back of it put directly 
behind the foliage curtain. Back of the frame open- 
ing and platform should be a woods background if 

<sibte. When Fun announces the subject of each 
picture, some one behind the scenes, near the front, 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 137 

should read slozvly and clearly the story or verse de- 
scribing that picture. Meanwhile, those characters 
are taking their positions in the frame, and when 
ready must not move. As each story or verse is fin- 
ished, the curtains are drawn aside for a minute, 
shoiuing the picture, and then drawn together again. 
Then the next story and its picture, and so on until 
all are shown. As each one is presented, Teddy and 
Fun dance around and clap their hands, making such 
exclamations as " O my/" "Isn't that great?" 
etc. Curtain falls on the last picture. Fun and 
Teddy are again alone in the woods.') Here they all 
come back again, I declare ! Too bad they could not 
have seen their own pictures. O, well ; it doesn't 
matter. Why ! where are you going, Teddy ? 

Teddy. I'm going home ! {Runs off the stage.) 
Fun. Wait a minute. {Talking to himself '.) No 
use. Guess I had better see if he gets home all right. 
{Follows Teddy. Enter all the children singing 
Mother Goose rhymes. While they are dancing and 
singing, the large frame is removed, and the cot, etc., 
are replaced the same as i?i the first scene. As the 
music is finished, they dance off stage. Curtain 
opens o?i bedroom scene. Teddy asleep with camera, 
and the goblin perched on bed again.) Well, the little 
fellow has had quite a treat, and it is nearly time for 
him to wake up ; so I must leave him for this time. 
{Ju?nps down, and as he steals lightly out, kisses his 
hand to Teddy.) Good-by, little chap. I hope you 
will have a fine Christmas day. Good-by. 



138 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

{A bright light is now thrown on the cot> and 
Teddy wakes up.} 

Teddy. My ! it's broad daylight, and I'll bet the 
folks are all up. {Sits up on one side of the bed ; sud- 
denly thinks of the camera, and takes it up .) Wasn't 
Santa Claus good, though? {Meditatively.} If I 
only knew how to use it ! {Brightening.} Why, I 
do ! Now who was it showed me how ? O, yes ! it 
was the goblin, I do believe ; and I've been to dream- 
land. Yes, it all comes to me now, and I've resolved 
that {Standing and reciting.) 

When there's something to be bought and you haven't got the 

money, 
You just write out that little thought, — now that sounds rather 

funny, — 
Just write it nice to Santa Claus, and seal it up right tight, 
And when you go to bed you know he'll bring it sure that 

night. 
Because, you know, 'tis Christmas eve, when Santa always 

comes, 
And brings you lots of things you want — nice cameras and 

drums ; 
And when you're puzzled as to how to work the things you get, 
Just go off into dreamland, and you'll find out, you bet ! 
'Cause Fun, the little goblin, is always sure to know, 
And you can take a trip with him if you are not too slow. 
Then you will find out how to do most anything under the sun, 
And when you wake up bright again, you'll know just how 'tis 

done. 



CURTAIN. 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 139 

Cinderella Reception. 

The Juniors come, if they wish, in fancy costumes ; 
the smallest girl can be Cinderella, in pretty slippers, 
and a trained Empire dress of pink cambric, with her 
hair piled up on top of her head ; and the smallest boy 
should personate the prince, in a light-blue cambric 
suit with many bows and buckles. Others may be the 
cruel stepmother, the proud sisters, the fairy god- 
mother, the king, the queen, and various other dis- 
tinguished people of the times. 

Among the games which might be played is "my 
lady's slipper/' One player goes out of the room, 
and is blindfolded. The rest seat themselves in a line 
in seats low enough so that their feet all reach the 
floor. The feet must not be tucked under the chairs, 
or otherwise disposed of in any way except straight on 
the floor in front of the seated players. The blind- 
folded one is then called in, and tries to find out, by 
lightly stepping on the toes of each, who is the one 
thus trod upon. Some players can keep perfectly still 
while this is going on ; but many have not the neces- 
sary self-control, and the slightest laugh, exclamation, 
or other noise often reveals the secret. The first one 
whose identity is thus learned must change places with 
the blindfolded one, and the game proceeds as before. 

Perhaps the children will like to try a "slipper 
obstacle-race," which is like the race in the "parlor 
mountain-climb ' ' except that each Junior wears a 
paper slipper which must be kept on throughout the 
race. 



140 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

"Fairy bowling" is another good game. Cover 
the dining-room table temporarily with a cloth of 
bright-colored flannel or other woollen material; ar- 
range across it, near one end, a pasteboard arch, or 
one of heavy wire wound with ribbon, fastening the 
ends of the arch to bricks on each side, covered like 
the table. Prepare a large bowl of suds, made of 
soap, warm water, and glycerine ; and arrange the 
players, boys on one side of the table and girls on the 
other, giving to each boy a clay pipe and to each girl 
a small fan. The boy at the head of the line takes 
the bowl, blows a bubble, and drops it on the table. 
The girl opposite tries to fan it under the arch before 
it breaks. Tally is kept with pink and blue paper 
disks on little tally cards which may be attached to the 
fans. Pink means a successful bowling ; blue, a fail- 
ure. As each two players complete their trial, they 
go to the foot of the line, which moves up to let the 
next two try. The game may consist of five rounds, 
or four if there are many players. A ribbon-bedecked 
pipe and a pretty fan might be the rewards given to 
the winning bowlers. 

Here is a new kind of " slipper-hunt/ ' which is en- 
joyable. Tell the Juniors that there are forty pairs of 
slippers hidden about the rooms, and offer a reward to 
the one finding the greatest number that prove to be 
pairs. The slippers should be of different colors, and 
about three inches long. They are cut out of card- 
board from patterns found in an illustrated catalogue. 

The plan of a doll Cinderella seated in a pumpkin 



GOOD TI3IES WITH THE JUNIORS 141 

coach lined with light blue, with four and twenty 
chocolate mice harnessed to it with ribbons and driven 
by a colored doll coachman, is not new, but is very 
pleasing, especially to the younger ones. Refresh- 
ments may be slipper-shaped sandwiches or cookies, 
lemonade, and the chocolate mice. 

Star Social. 

If you wish decorative features, the following are 
attractive, though not necessary to the success of the 
social. 

Cut from gilt paper as many stars about an inch in 
diameter as there are Juniors. Then take a large star- 
shaped wire frame, one of those supplied by florists 
for Christmas decorations, fill it with evergreen or 
holly, if the social is to be held near Christmas time, 
and suspend it from the ceiling or chandelier by rib- 
bons, extending from each point upward and meeting 
at the centre. From each point of this large star 
hang a group of the little stars, by strings or baby 
ribbon of different lengths, so that from each point the 
gilt stars will be hanging in a cluster, some higher, 
some lower. Number all the stars, those in each 
group having a number of their own. Thus the 
cluster of stars from one point will all be numbered i, 
those from another point 2, and so on. 

Some of the Juniors are probably taking piano les- 
sons, and making good progress ; or learning to play 
on other instruments; and of course a number can 
sing well. Ask several of the musical ones to come 



142 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

prepared to play or sing. A few others should have 
recitations ; and two or three who like to write can 
each write an original story not more than five hun- 
dred words long. 

As the Juniors come in, give to each of them a 
pencil and a star-shaped white card with the words 
written from the centre towards each point, " Pictures/' 
< < Music, " < ' Stories, ' ' " Speaking, " and " Museum. ' ' 
Ask them to write their names on the reverse side of 
their cards ; and then to read what is written on the 
star-points, and to make a check or cross very plainly 
in that point having the name of the thing they like 
best. The cards are then collected, and will be, by 
the way, no slight help to a new Junior superintend- 
ent in learning to understand the tastes of the children 
with whom she is to work, even after this particular 
good time is over. 

While the cards, after being collected, are examined 
and sorted, some game may be played. The "flying 
star M is a good one. Each player is supplied with a 
small empty spool, with a colored paper star pasted 
over one end. Half the stars are red, the other half 
blue, to distinguish which side the player is on. Ar- 
range twelve berry-boxes, quart size, on the floor in a 
hollow square. Mark four of them on the bottom 
with the figure 5 ; four of them 10, and leave four 
blank. Place a tin cup in the centre. Let the play- 
ers stand a few feet away, and they may test their skill 
in throwing. Each spool, or "flying star," landing 
in the cup, counts 20 ; when landing in one of the 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 143 

boxes, it counts whatever that box is marked. Each 
side keeps tally, and when all the stars have flown, the 
scores are compared to see which side has the larger. 

Next, divide the Juniors into groups for the game 
" constellations,' ' which is really several games in one. 
The division is made according to choice as already 
marked on the cards given out on arrival. Those 
who chose " Pictures " are put in Constellation No. 
i, and to them belongs the cluster of little hanging 
gilt stars marked with that number. Those who 
chose "Music" are in Constellation No. 2, and so 
on. The gilt stars are taken down and given to the 
Juniors thus by number, pinned to the dress of each ; 
and thereby every Junior becomes a "star," and must 
prepare to shine accordingly. As before stated, how- 
ever, the star decorations are not absolutely necessary ; 
the Juniors can shine even without being thus labelled. 

The constellation of " star artists " sit together, and 
for half an hour engage in some drawing contest. 
Perhaps the game of " accidental high art M is as good 
as any. Spread a newspaper over a table ; let each 
player be furnished with two pieces of paper and a 
pen ; and on the table place a bottle of India ink and 
a fountain-pen-filler. With the filler let one drop of 
ink fall upon one of the pieces of paper belonging to 
each, and tell him to press upon it his other sheet of 
paper. This gives each player the foundation for two 
pictures, so that if his first attempt is not an entire 
success he can try again. The aim is to make of the 
grotesque and shapeless blot, by the help of the pen 



144 GOOD TI3IES WITH THE JUNIORS 

and imagination, a picture of some object — animal, 
tree, landscape, or whatever turns out to be most feasi- 
ble. As blots are never twice alike, there is every 
opportunity for the fancy and skill of the artist. 

While Constellation No. i is thus engaged, No. 2 is 
in the next room preparing its musical programme 
with the help of those who have brought something to 
sing or play ; Constellation No. 3 is selecting recita- 
tions; No. 4, if this is the authors' *group, is deciding 
on the order of reading and perhaps the titles, or any 
other unfinished part, of its original stories ; and No. 
5 is arranging a museum of natural curiosities in the 
form of interesting hats, paper-cutters, and other small 
articles whose origin and method of manufacture and 
use they think they can at least partially describe. 

At the end of the half-hour all the stars gather to 
listen to the entertainment provided by each constel- 
lation. The " star artists " exhibit their works of art ; 
the star musicians play and sing; the star authors 
read their effusions ; the star orators declaim or recite ; 
and the star museum-directors give their exhibition. 
A vote of thanks, or some more substantial reward, 
may be given to the constellation furnishing the best 
entertainment. 

Close the evening with refreshments consisting of 
cheese sandwiches cut star-shaped and filled, presum- 
ably, with green cheese from the moon ; and glasses 
of creamy milk fresh from the Milky Way. What 
star or constellation could fail to be satisfied with such 
fare ? 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 145 

On leaving, each Junior might be given a star- 
shaped Christmas card as a memento. 

This plan is capable, of course, like most of those 
given in this book, of endless variation. A " surprise 
constellation,' ' or some other preferred, might take the 
place of any one of those suggested. The stories, 
recitations, and music might be given without any 
previous arrangement outside, if a thoroughly im- 
promptu programme is desired ; but in most cases a 
little inkling of what will be expected of them, in the 
case of those likely to be called upon, makes the re- 
sult more interesting. Some of the musical numbers 
and recitations could be humorous, others more seri- 
ous ; but most of them will naturally pertain to Christ- 
mas or stars. The following, once contributed by the 
writer to The New Voice, might be given by one of 
the more thoughtful Juniors as a recitation : 

Star-jewelled was the Night's dark brow, 

As, with a light caress, 
Smiling, she saw the wondering Earth 

Her promised King confess, 
While Hate and Greed shrank back before 

God's Love-thought, born to bless 
As the angel choir was singing. 

O glorious Christmas yet to dawn, 

When men shall understand, 
The lowly manger of the heart 

Become a temple grand, 
Each cruel wrong and strife depart, 

Quelled by an infant's hand, 

While the Christmas bells are ringing ! 



146 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

Then, Fear-thought, flee ! and Hate-thought, die ! 

As gleams the Star's clear ray, 
Join, World, the wise men's holy quest ; 

Put evil far away ; 
And give till all the earth is blest ; 

Let Love-thought rule to-day, 
Every heart its incense bringing. 

Holly and Mistletoe Drill. 
By Imogen A. Storey. 

An even number of small boys of uniform height 
must be used for this drill. Usually it will be found 
necessary for the Juniors to call in the aid of children 
outside the society, which will furnish a fine oppor- 
tunity to win new members. 

At the rear of the stage a small hut should be con- 
structed of light framework, and covered with heavy 
brown paper. The roof and window-sills of this must 
be spread with cotton to represent snow. 

On the floor of the stage a heavy white cloth should 
be stretched, and in the rear and at the sides boughs of 
evergreens covered with cotton should be arranged to 
represent the woods. 

The floor of the stage must be laid off as shown by 
diagrams to prevent mistakes. Half of the children 
must be dressed in fairylike suits of white, carrying 
a half-hoop trimmed with mistletoe and white satin 
ribbons, the ribbons tied at each end of the hoop. 
The others must be costumed in like manner, only in 
red, having hoops trimmed in holly and red ribbons. 
All must wear green gauze wings. 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 



147 



When the drill begins, old Santa and his wife should 
be seen busy in their little house, fixing toys. If 
presents are to be distributed, they must be placed 
in the hut previous to the beginning of the exercise. 
The children enter skipping to music, following the 
lines shown in Diagram A, mistletoes on the right and 
hollies on the left, or the reverse. 

They skip, following 
lines as indicated by ar- 
rows in A, with arms in 
upward bend position 
and hoops arched over- 
head. When the leaders 
reach lines R and L, 
the skip step is changed 
to a march, and they 
join hoops with partners 
so as to make a complete 
hoop with bows at each side. This is a very easy move- 
ment, though it may seem the contrary. Those on 
the right extend the inside arm straight to the side, 
shoulder-high, holding the end of hoop with the arch 
down. Those on the left extend their arms in 
the same way with the arch up. Each child grasps 
the end of the partners hoop with his own in the in- 
side hand. 

On the leader's reaching the front line the first posi- 
tion of the hoops is resumed by all with skip step. 
When the side lines are reached, they turn on the 
diagonal lines and begin a fancy step, dropping the 




Diagram A. 



148 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 



hoop down around the neck like a boa. On a change 
of music drop the hoop, and advance the inside foot 
diagonally to inside (towards partner), and place it on 
the floor, first count; hop on the advance foot, and 
swing the outside leg across in front, bending the knee 
so that the foot which is crossed over comes almost as 
high as the knee of the inside leg, second count; 
swing the same foot diagonally forward to the outside 
again, and place it on the floor, third count ; hop on it, 
and swing the inside leg across in front of the outside, 
fourth count. This step is called "swing-cross step/ ' 
which somewhat explains the movement. On the 




DlAGBAM C. 



leaders' reaching the front line the skip step with first 
position of hoop is resumed by all. On reaching the 
side lines again, instead of coming down diagonal lines 
as before, they turn on the rear lines as shown in B, 
and come down the lines R and L in C, with the follow- 
ing fancy step : 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 149 

Advance the inside foot, and touch the toe to the 
floor, and the inside arm straight to the side and the 
outside hand on the chest, the arch of the hoop up, 
first count ; change the weight to the forward foot, the 
hoop arched overhead the same as in skipping, second 
count ; repeat the same to the opposite side, third and 
fourth counts. Continue this until the front line is 
reached. Then resume the skip step, and follow lines 
as before in A. 

When they reach the side lines, old Santa steps to 
the front door of his hut, and blows a whistle or horn, 
and the skip step is changed to a run on the toes. The 
players run down the side lines, and turn on the lines 
shown in C leading to the hut. When the leaders 
reach the cross marks on these lines, a signal from the 
piano or another blast from old Santa's horn is given 
for them to halt, which should be executed by them 
together. After they have halted, old Santa steps 
down from his door, and gives another blast, and all 
should turn facing inside ; that is, towards lines R 
and L. Old Santa should walk up and down in- 
specting them. 

Old Santa, in deep tones : "I have decided to en- 
gage you, Mistletoe and Holly Berry fairies, to do 
some work for me this beautiful Christmas night, for 
I am getting old and lame. Can I depend on you ? M 

Fairies all together: " Yes, sir." 

Old Santa: "I want you to take each child in this 
audience a gift from me and my wife. Will you do 
it?" 



150 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

u Yes, sir; indeed we will, M should come in loud, 
emphatic tones from the little fairies. Santa should 
go back to the door of his little hut and receive the 
gifts from Mrs. Santa Claus, who hands them out to 
him. Santa must call out the names as he gives them 
to the fairies, as they file past on lines shown in C, 
turning on lines R and L, thence down the steps in 
the centre. After distributing the gifts they return 
for more by side steps as shown in C. In this way the 
presents, even for a large audience, can be easily dis- 
posed of. 

Jack Frost Reception. 

The Juniors may wish to give a Christmas tree to 
the children of some orphan asylum, combining with 
this plan a merry time for themselves as well. If so, 
a "Jack Frost reception" would be a good way of 
doing it. 

One of the smaller boys, who is also one of the live- 
liest in the society, should be chosen to personate Jack. 
He should be dressed in a close-fitting suit of white Can- 
ton flannel, the fleecy side out, with here and there little 
tufts of cotton batting sprinkled with diamond dust. 
Long white stockings, with tiny bells sewed on them, 
and a few sprigs of holly, complete the costume. 

Red crape-paper shades should cover all the globes. 
The tree should be hung with glittering icicles of 
rock-candy, and trimmed with tufts of sparkling cotton 
snow. An imitation bird's nest for each guest is 
lined with crinkled white tissue-paper, filled with 



GOOD TIMES WITH TEE JUNIOBS 151 

white sugar almonds, and placed among the branches. 
Then the presents, which might be toys or books that 
the Juniors have outgrown, in small boxes wrapped 
around with cotton batting and tied with white thread, 
make lovely snowballs. Pull the cotton out between 
the threads till each box is a fluffy, ball-shaped mass ; 
then dip them in diamond-dust ; label each with the 
name of the one for whom it is intended, and hang 
them with gilt or silver cord to the tree. Snowballs of 
all sizes may be made thus, and those too large to 
hang on the tree may be piled around the trunk. 

When all have arrived, there may be singing by the 
Juniors, after which the " snowballs " are distributed. 
Jack Frost capers gayly about, ringing his bells, and 
tossing the balls to the children, who in turn toss 
them lightly about from one to another till each one 
reaches its owner. The birds' nests of almonds and 
the candy icicles are left on the tree until later in 
the evening. 

Refreshments are served at the north pole. On the 
centre of the dining-table place an uneven block of 
ice, and extending up from the ice have a long paste- 
board mailing-tube covered with the imitation snow. 
A white toy bear standing on the top of the pole, 
holding in its mouth a sprig of dusted holly or ever- 
green, and several other bears grouped around its 
base, complete your north pole, and, to further the 
arctic effect, the chandelier may be trimmed with 
icicles and dusted sprays of green, and for an added 
touch of elegance, if desired, there may be Jack Frost 



152 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

place-cards made in fancy shapes, spread with a thin 
coating of mucilage, sprinkled with diamond-dust and 
the names written in gold or silver lettering. Of course 
these are not necessary. A substantial but wholesome 
lunch should be served. 

One or two simple games selected from the index 
in the back of the book may be introduced if wanted, 
but the presents and the little feast will take up most 
of the time. Finish unloading the tree; close the 
evening with the singing of more Christmas songs ; 
and the guests will go away convinced that the 
Juniors are not only the happiest people in the world, 
but that they are glad to share their pleasures with 
those not so fortunate. 

Mistress Mary's Contrary Reception. 

Another name for this entertainment would be 
"A Midwinter Flower Fete." It is charming at any 
time of the year, however, as both the winter and the 
flowers can be made to consist wholly of costumes and 
decorations. 

The guests are received by "Mistress Mary M of 
Mother Goose fame, with several "pretty maids all in 
a row." The members of this reception committee 
should be dressed as for a garden party, in white or 
light dresses, large hats, etc. They may be chosen 
from the Intermediates or older Juniors, or from the 
grown-up society ; perhaps they might be the Junior 
superintendent and Junior committee. 

Entering, the guests find themselves, to their sur- 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 153 

prise, not in a garden, but in a world of ice and 
snow. Cotton sprinkled with diamond-dust is on all 
sides, with red berries and evergreen from the winter 
woods ; tables are spread for a feast in an ice grotto 
where the palest of blue and green draperies are com- 
bined with mirrors and lights so arranged as to in- 
crease the illusion ; and there is a constant tinkle of 
invisible sleigh-bells. 

Just as every one begins to shiver, there comes a 
burst of gay music; and Mistress Mary's flower-gar- 
den appears in the midst of the wintry surroundings. 
It is a striking and pretty contrast. The smallest 
Juniors are chosen for this part of the entertainment. 
While the children are coming in, some one should 
sing the time-honored lines : 

" Mistress Mary, quite contrary, 
How does your garden grow ? 
With silver bells and cockle-shells, 
And pretty maids all in a row," 

or, as one version has it, "flower-maids all in a row." 
The small Juniors are dressed as follows : The boys 
in closely fitting suits and caps of green, trimmed with 
strings of sleigh-bells and small shells; the girls in 
dresses and hats of tissue-paper or crape paper, each 
girl representing a flower. The blossoms most easily 
imitated can be selected by studying a florist's cata- 
logue or a botany with colored plates. Some wild 
flowers are delightfully suited to the purpose ; such as 
the buttercup, the daisy, the blue marsh clematis, the 
pale yellow adder' s-tongue, the pink swamp mallow, 



154 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

the wild rose, the bluebell, and the Carolina lily in its 
brilliant hues of crimson, orange, and brown. Then 
there are nasturtiums, asters, morning-glories, sweet 
peas, and chrysanthemums ; in fact, the list will be 
found to be a long one. Ribbons and artificial flowers 
may be used as trimmings where they will heighten 
the effect. 

Each child should carry a basket decorated with 
the appropriate flower or with " cockle-shells ' ' or 
" silver bells,' ' as the case may be, and filled with 
small articles for sale. A fancy drill is given on 
entering; and, if desired, some appropriate flower 
songs or recitations may be added. Then the con- 
tents of the various baskets should be offered for sale. 

If any of the guests do not understand where the 
"contrary" part of the entertainment comes in, ask 
them if they ever knew a flower-garden so contrary to 
nature as to grow in such surroundings before their 
eyes. Of course, the Juniors are never contrary in 
any other way. 



The Bells of Bonnydingle 

In Two Acts 
By Lilian M. Heath 



Characters. 



Dorothy Dot, A dear little girl under a magic 
spell. 

Sir Dismal Dumps, ) ^ . / ,.,, 

rn -n _ u > Two enemies of children. 

The Bugaboo Max, j J 

Queen of the Cosey Corner, The children's 

fairy friend. 

Fairy Bright-Thought, Chief counsellor of the 

Queen. 
West Wind, Friend to Dorothy. 
Dorothy Dot, Grown larger, after the spell is 

broken. 
Old Woman with Basket. 
Carol, "j 

A -y-rc 

Frank \ Friends and playmates ^Dorothy's. 
Roy, \ 

155 



156 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

Reallywish, ^ 

JUSTNOW, I Brownies 

I Can, 

I Will, J 

Six, eight, or more Sunshine Fairies. 

Costumes, etc. 

Dorothy Dot, while small. Girl of nine or ten, 
small for her age ; dainty modern dress. 

Sir Dismal Dumps. Boy of fourteen, or older; 
antique court costume of gray and dark green. 

The Bugaboo Man. Boy of fourteen, same style 
of dress as Dismal Dumps, but colors red and dark 
blue. Wears a mask. 

Queen of the Cosey Corner. Girl of fourteen ; 
trained white spangled dress, crown, and wand. 

Fairy Bright-Thought. Girl of ten ; short white 
spangled fairy dress, with wings. 

West Wind. Girl of fourteen who can sing well ; 
flowing rose- colored robe, long gray mantle. 

Old Woman with Basket. Girl of twelve or 
thirteen; brown or purple skirt to ankles, gingham 
waist, small red shoulder-shawl, sunbonnet. 

Dorothy Dot, grown taller. A well grown, 
bright-looking girl of thirteen, closely resembling the 
small Dorothy. Dress apparently the same, only 
longer. 

Carol. Girl of eleven or twelve. Ordinary dress. 

Avis. Girl of eleven. " " 

Frank. Boy of twelve. " " 

Roy. Boy of eleven. " " 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 157 

Reallywish, Justnow, I Can, and I Will. Boys 
of ten; Brownie costumes. ("I Will" should have 
the strongest voice.) 

Sunshine Fairies. Girls of eight or nine ; flowing 
hair, short fairy dress of bright orange-yellow, made 
still brighter by a liberal use of spangles. Wings. 

Cosey Corner. Prettily draped and cushioned 
couch in one corner of rear of stage. 

Sunshine Treasure-Box. First act, a box about 
the size of a small but deep trunk, labelled on the 
front in plain lettering, " Sunshine." 

Sunshine Treasure-Box. Second act, box of 
same shape, but very large; if possible, nearly four 
feet deep ; with same label in same position on front, in 
letters of the same shape but larger. Have blocks of 
wood nailed inside for steps. The lid should be on 
hinges, and the whole back of the box, except at the 
very top, is sawed out, leaving it open. The curtain 
hangs at the rear of the stage, with a large opening 
immediately behind the box, so that Sunshine Fairies 
and others can easily pass into the box from behind 
the scenes. Foliage, rocks, and stumps for seats, and 
other playground accessories. Have a stump and a 
particularly soft rock against the outside of the box, 
to serve as steps. 

Change of Costume. In the second act, near the 
close, Sir Dismal Dumps and the Bugaboo Man should 
change quickly while in or back of the Sunshine-Box, 
from their former costumes to suits of spangled 
orange-yellow cambric, made in similar style. 



158 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

ACT I. 

SCENE. — A playground, with Carol, Avis, Roy 
seated on rocks and stumps , talking. Music as 
curtain rises. Music stops. 

Avis. Did you say that she never could grow any 
larger? 

Frank {entering). What's that? Who never 
could grow any larger ? 

Carol. Why, don't you know ? It's Dorothy 
Dot. Dear little Dorothy ! It's all because she was 
enchanted when she was only seven years old, by that 
dreadful enemy of all Sunshine people — Sir Dismal 
Dumps ! 

Frank. O yes, I remember. He is a rascal — 
that Dismal Dumps. He put one of his magic spells 
on her — he and his Bugaboo Man together — so she 
never could grow any larger unless 

Roy. Yes, she never could grow any larger, un- 
less 

Avis. Unless what ? Do tell me all about it. 

Carol. I thought you knew, Avis. Unless the 
key is found, the key to Dorothy's magic treasure-box. 
The Sunshine Fairies are shut up in the box, and 
until they are let out we children will all have lots 
of trouble because of that horrid Dismal Dumps and 
his Bugaboo Man. 

Frank (walking about, his hands in his pockets, 
looking as if thinking very hard). This is a puzzle 
that gets me ! The box that holds the Sunshine 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 159 

Fairies is locked, and Dismal Dumps stole the key, 
and keeps it hidden away. But say, wasn't there 
something about the box growing, too ? 

Roy. Why, yes. You see, it's a magic box, and 
was meant to grow larger all the time, just as Dorothy 
was meant to grow larger herself. But, when the key 
was stolen, it — the box, I mean — stopped growing, 
and she stopped growing, and now 

All (coming forward and singing ; tune, " The 
Red, White , and Blue"). 

O sad is the plight of our playmate, 

While under the dark, cruel spell ; 
No peace can she have, night or morning, 

For foes watch her footsteps too well. 
When found is the key to her treasure, 

How gladly our chorus we'll sing ! 
When forth come the bright Sunshine Fairies, 

The bells of Bonnydingle will ring. 
O the bells, bonny bells, how they'll ring ! 
O the bells, bonny bells, how they'll ring ! 
When forth come the bright Sunshine Fairies, 

The bells of Bonnydingle will ring. 

{Enter Dorothy, running.} 

Dorothy. O Carol, Avis, — all of you ! I'm so 
afraid ! When I started to come over here, I was sure 
I heard Dismal Dumps and the Bugaboo Man talking, 
just around the corner, and I ran as fast as I could, 
to get away from them. I'm afraid they'll be here, 
yet. {Looking around uneasily). But {brightening) 



160 GOOD TI3IES WITH THE JUNIORS 

I must tell you the good news. I've seen the 
Brownies ! 

{All crowd around her. Frank and Roy give a 
surprised whistle!) 

Avis. Have you, Dorothy ? 
Carol. And will they help us plan what to do ? 
Dorothy. Yes, they said they would help. Here 
they come, now. 

{Enter Brownies, runnings skipping, and capering 
in various ways, which lively antics they must 
keep up at intervals all through the play. Com- 
ing forward and facing the audience, they sing, 
each one in turn ; tune, " Yankee Doodle." ) 

Reallywish. 

Kind friends, my name is Reallywish; 

I serve the people gladly. 
Whenever they are true to me 

They cease to mourn so sadly ; 
For, don't you see ? they go to work 

To make their wish come true, sir ! 
And when they smile instead of shirk 

There's little they can't do, sir. 

JUSTNOW. 

And my name, if you'd know it well, 

Would save you much debating ; 
For it's Justnow, and when I'm called 

I never keep folks waiting. 
I hasten gladly on my way, 

As fast as I can run, sir ! 
And when I work, and when I play, 

'Tis very quickly done, sir. 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 161 

I Can. 

They call me by the name I Can ; 

That name I'll never alter. 
I'm bound to do what any man 

Should try, nor will I falter. 
Brave thinking helps to bring success ; 

I'm every one's good friend, sir ! 
Whate'er I try, I'll carry through, 

And push it to the end, sir. 

I Will. 

And I, the last, am called I Will, 

And never should you doubt me. 
Some call me stubborn, but I'd like 

To see them do without me ! 
For ships I sail and houses build, 

And every lesson learn, sir ! 
Make haste and call me to your aid, 

If you would comfort earn, sir. 

Avis {clapping her hands). O what dear Brownies ! 
And so you will help us to get rid of that hateful Dis- 
mal Dumps and the Bugaboo Man we're so afraid of! 
What shall we do first ? 

(Brownies, puzzled, look up at the ceiling, down at 
the floor, and in various corners, as if for an 
idea,) 

Reallywish. I really wish, my friends, O yes, 
I really wish I knew 

Justnow. Just now, exactly what is best for us to 
plan and do, 



162 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

I Can. But, if each one of us will only think and 
say, " I can " 

I Will {emphatically). We'll conquer Dismal 
Dumps and his Bugaboo Man ! 

Children and Brownies (all together.) We'll 
conquer Dismal Dumps and his Bugaboo Man ! 

Roy. Here they come, now ! ( Children huddle 
close together and look frightened, yet resolute. A 
few strains of very doleful music, from behind scenes. 
Enter Sir Dismal Dumps and Bugaboo Man, 
right.) 

Dismal Dumps {scowling fiercely). Well, here's 
a pretty howdy-do ! Don't these children know they 
shouldn't loiter around like this? They'll be too 
late to have any dinner when they get home ! Be- 
sides, there's all their next week's lessons not learned. 

Bugaboo Man. Well, the lessons are so hard they 
won't be able to learn them anyhow; so what dif- 
ference does it make ? 

Dismal Dumps. Then they'll all grow up without 
knowing anything. In fact, no matter how hard they 
try, they'll never amount to anything. 

( Children whisper together during this conversatio?i. 
Brownies gesticulate as if giving directions. 
All nod their heads in consent, and approach 
Dismal Dumps.) 

Children and Brownies (singing; tune, " Mary- 
land, My Maryland"). 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 163 

Listen to the children's plea, 

Dismal Dumps, O Dismal Dumps ! 

If you'd go and leave us free, — 

Dismal Dumps, Dismal Dumps, — 

We would be so very good, 

Learn our lessons as we should, 

We'd surprise you ; yes, we would, 
Dismal Dumps, O Dismal Dumps ! 

But before you leave the land, 
Dismal Dumps, O Dismal Dumps, 

If you'd kindly understand, 

Dismal Dumps, O Dismal Dumps, 

Please give back the treasure-key ; 

Set the Sunshine Fairies free ! 

We would, O so grateful be, 

Dismal Dumps, O Dismal Dumps ! 

Dismal Dumps (haughtily, folding his a ms). 
What impertinent nonsense is this ? Actually asking 
for the key to the Sunshine-Box I I'd laugh at the 
very idea, if it weren't against my principles ever to 
laugh at all, or even smile. Bugaboo, what do you 
think of this ridiculous idea ? They want us to give 
up the key ! 

Bugaboo Man {laughing loudly). Ha ! ha ! ha ! 
ho ! ho ! ho ! As if we would give it up ! 

Dismal Dumps. There, you young rascals, you 
have your answer. But you never will have the key ! 

(Dorothy begins to cry, and goes slowly out, left, 
Avis and Carol with her, trying to console her. 
Dismal Dumps and Bugaboo converse con- 



164 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

fdentially, right. Boys and Brownies consult, 
left). 

Brownies {coming forward and then towards 
left, singing ; tune, "Jingle Bells." ) 

Come along, come along, 

Children one and all ! 
Hasten to the Cosey Corner ere the shadows fall ! 

Dorothy, Dorothy, 

Trouble yet will end. 
In the Cosey Corner we shall find the children's friend ! 

(Repeat, as they go out, left, followed by boys. Dis- 
mal Dumps and Bugaboo Man come forward at 
centre, Dismal Dumps looking more than usually 
glum.) 

Bugaboo Man {persuasively). Cheer up, old 
fellow 1 You certainly got the best of it, as you 
generally do when you have me to help you ! 

Dismal Dumps {shaking his head dolefully) . That* s 
all very well, Bugaboo, but what we should do if those 
children should ever get ahead of us and manage to 
open that box, I'm sure I don't know. I can't bear 
the sound of bells, and those Sunshine Fairies would 
be too much for us both. 

Bugaboo Man. That's so; we never could live 
in the same country with them. Of course not ! But 
there's no danger ! Nobody can open the box but 
that insignificant little Dorothy Dot, and she can't 
without the key. Come on, now; let's find some 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 165 

one else that we can make unhappy. I heard a 
woman saying she was afraid it was going to rain. 
Let's tell her it certainly will. There's a big black 
cloud coming up, now. 

Dismal Dumps (brightening a little). And I heard 
a man complaining of hard times. Let's go and make 
them all the harder. We can do it. 

Bugaboo Man. Of course we can ; we always do. 
Come on. (Links his arm in that 0/* Dismal Dumps, 
and hurries him along till in the latter 1 s effort to keep 
up he stumbles over a rock and drops the key. 
Neither of them sees it.) Be careful; you might 
break your bones sometime over these stones. Hurry, 
or we'll be too late. (Exit both, right.) 

(Enter Old Woman, left, with basket. Sees key. 
Stops, and picks it up.) 

Old Woman. Well, I never ! What careless per- 
son has dropped a key, I wonder ? I'll just put it in 
my basket for safe keeping while I look. (Exit 
right.) 

(Enter Avis, Carol, Dorothy, Frank, Roy, and 
Brownies, left, on their way to the Cosey Corner. 
The Brownies are carrying the Sunshine Treas- 
ure-Box. They place it at the rear of the stage, 
with the labelled side forward ; then all approach 
the Cosey Corner, singing; tune, "John 
Brown. 1 *) 



166 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

Queen of the Cosey Corner, let us in, we plead, 

We've come to ask your counsel, for we've dire distress, in- 
deed ! 

We know you help the troubled, and we've come to tell our 
need, 

O Fairy, hear our call. 

Tis the Brownies and the children, 

Tis the Brownies and the children, 

Tis the Brownies and the children, 
O Fairy, heed our call. 

( Curtains slowly part at the corner of the stage, right, 
displaying a " cosey corner 1 ' where the Queen is 
seated in state. She rises and comes forward.} 

Queen. You poor children ! I know your trouble 
before you tell it. You wish to get rid of Dismal 
Dumps and the Bugaboo Man ; you want the key to 
this dear little girl's treasure-box, so you can let the 
Sunshine Fairies out. Is that it ? 

Children. Yes, and so Dorothy Dot can grow. 

Queen. That is right. Be seated, all. Now, for 
a few moments keep perfectly still. (Children seat 
themselves on stumps, etc.') I cannot give you the key 
at once, but I will call my chief counsellor, Fairy 
Bright-Thought, and then I shall be able to advise 
you. Keep very quiet, now, or she cannot come. 
Brownies, see if you can keep still for two whole min- 
utes. It will be good practice for you. {The Queen 
resumes her seat. The Brownies give a final excited 
caper ; then seat themselves on the treasure-box. All 
are silent. Soft music for three or four minutes ; 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 167 

then Fairy Bright-Thought emerges from behind the 
draperies of Cosey Corner, and whispers in the ear 
of the Queen. The children start up, but seat them- 
selves again. After a moment, Fairy Bright- 
Thought disappears again behind the draperies. 
Music stops.) Listen, children and Brownies ! I 
have a secret for you. The spell is already partly 
broken, for — just think ! — Dismal Dumps and the 
Bugaboo Man have lost the key / Now Dorothy Dot 
can grow ! [The children begin dancing and the 
Brownies capering with delight.) But wait ! (All 
stop.) It is true, Dorothy Dot can grow, and so can 
her treasure-box ; but until she has the key the Sun- 
shine Fairies must still be prisoners, and you are not 
yet rid of Dismal Dumps and his Bugaboo Man. 
Now, this is what you must all do. Search for the 
key everywhere. As for Dorothy, she can go away 
for a while with the kind West Wind, to a beautiful 
home on the prairies, where she will not be troubled 
by Dismal Dumps and the Bugaboo Man. Then she 
can grow all the faster, and meanwhile you can all be 
looking for the key. But, mind you, the key will be 
found at some moment when you are doing a kind 
act ; and, when you want Dorothy, you must call her. 
Now away with you ! Good-by ! (Retires into 
Cosey Corner, with curtains drawn together?) 
Children. Good-by ! Thank you ! Good-by ! 

(Enter West Wind, who approaches Dorothy 
slowly, singing; tune, " Wind of the Western 
Sea.") 



168 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

Breathe and grow, breathe and grow, 

Child of the Sunshine Land ! 
Grow, grow, breathe and grow; 

Life is for thee most grand ! 
Over the prairies wide and free, 
List to the West Wind's call to thee, 

Child of the Sunshine Land ! 
Come, my little one ; come, my pretty one, come ! 

( Wraps Dorothy gently in her mantle, and leads 
her slowly away, Dorothy waving her hand in 
farewell. The children and Brownies respond 
by waving caps and handkerchiefs. Exit Dor- 
othy and West Wind. Music, same tune, con- 
tinued instrumentally , as curtain falls .) 



ACT II. 

SCENE. — Same as before, but larger box in place of 
the one left at the rear of the stage. 

(Enter Carol, Avis, Frank, Roy, and Brownies. 
The children examine the box, being careful not 
to lift the lid ; the Brownies come forward.) 

Reallywish. I really wish I knew why we haven't 
found the key. 

Justnow. Perhaps just now we'll find it, if we're 
good as good can be. 

I Can. We won't give up and say it can't be 
done ; I know it can. 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 169 

I Will. And we'll conquer Dismal Dumps and 
the Bugaboo Man ! 

All. Yes, we'll conquer Dismal Dumps and the 
Bugaboo Man ! 

{Enter Old Woman with basket. Stumbles and 
drops basket, scattering wares.} 

Old Woman. Oh, dear, dear ! I didn't see that 
stone ! 

Avis {running up to her). Did you hurt yourself? 
You didn't quite fall, did you? 

Old Woman {beginning to pick up wares). No, 
but just look at my spools of thread, and buttons, and 
all my whole basketful of things — scattered all over 
the ground. 

Carol. Too bad ! Never mind, we'll pick them 
up for you. (To Roy.) She looks tired. (To Old 
Woman.) Suppose you sit down on this rock and 
rest, and we'll (Old Woman sits down.} 

Roy. Yes, we'll have them all picked up in a 
jiffy. 

(The Brownies, Roy, and Carol pick up the vari- 
ous articles, while Frank and Avis put them into 
the basket a?id arrange them.) 

Old Woman. Bless your kind little hearts ! 
There, now they're all right again, and I must be 
going. I'm quite a bit rested, too. Thank you, 
thank you. (Rises, and starts to go.) 

Roy (hastening after her with the key). Wait, 
wait ! here's your key ! 



170 GOOD TI3IES WITH THE JUNIORS 

Old Woman. Key, is it? But it's not mine. I 
picked it up not long ago at this very spot. No tell- 
ing who dropped it ; one can only guess. 

Carol {eagerly). Perhaps that's Dorothy's key ! 
{The children and Brownies crowd around to look.) 

Old Woman {indifferently). Well, keep it and 
ask Dorothy, whoever she may be. I don't know 
anything about it. Only persons in sight when I 
picked it up were an old curmudgeon dressed in gray, 
— the crossest-looking fellow you ever set eyes on, — 
and a queer-looking man with him dressed in red, for 
all the world like a circus clown. I couldn't catch 
up with them, they were going so fast. 

Avis (clapping her hands). It is, it is / 

Roy. Hurrah ! 

Frank. Whoop ! (The Brownies express their 
delight in the most fantastic capers yet. The Old 
Woman sets down the basket, looking interested.) 

Carol. Hark ! the Bells of Bonnydingle ! (Ring- 
ing of bells y while all listen.) 

(Enter Dismal Dumps and Bugaboo Man, talking 
excitedly. Bells stop ringing.) 

Dismal Dumps (to Bugaboo Man). It was all 
your fault ! 

Bugaboo Man (fiercely). Don't you dare to say 
it was my fault ! / didn't lose the key. You dropped 
it yourself ! 

Dismal Dumps. You made me drop it, anyhow. 
And now did you hear those bells ? That means the 



GOOD TI3IES WITH THE JUNIORS 171 

key is found, and we're done for if we can't get it 
again. {Seeing the children.} Quick, Bugaboo, 
here's the key. Make 'em give it up ! (Bugaboo 
Man starts towards the children, who retreat slowly. ) 

Old Woman (to Bugaboo Man, stepping between 
him and the children). It's my opinion you're a thief, 
sir I you and the gentleman in gray, there ; and you 
won't get that key again, I can tell you ! 

Bugaboo Man and Dismal Dumps (together ; ad- 
vancing nearer). Won't we? 

Old Woman (taking off sunbonnet, and flapping it 
vigorously at Dismal Dumps). Shoo ! Shoo ! (Dis- 
mal Dumps retreats hastily. Bugaboo Man advances 
towards the group. Old Woman still more vigor- 
ously, flapping at Bugaboo Man.) Scat ! (Buga- 
boo Man runs backward so fast he almost tumbles 
down. Dismal Dumps and Bugaboo Man consult, at 
a safe distance. The children come forward a little.) 

Carol. O, I wish Dorothy would come ! 

All the rest. So do I ! 

Reallywish. Why, we're forgetting what the 
Queen of the Cosey Corner told us. If we really 
wish Dorothy would come, why don't we bring her? 

Justnow. Why, of course. Let's call her back 
; ust now ! 

(Bells begin ringing joyfully again. Dismal 
Dumps and Bugaboo Man turn first one way, 
then the other, confused, and place their hands 
over their ears as if they could not bear the 



172 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

sound. Bells continue ringiftg very softly, while 
the children and Brownies sing; tune, "Bring 
Back My Bonny. 11 ) 

Our playmate is far o'er the prairies, 
But never a heart was more true ; 
She'll come on the wings of the morning, 
O Dorothy, welcome to you ! 
West Wind, West Wind, 
Bring back our bonny, to-day, to-day, 
West Wind, West Wind, 
Bring back our bonny, to-day. 

{Bells still ring, as softly as possible. The chil- 
dren listen. Instrumental music behind scenes, 
very soft at first, but gradually growing louder, 
— "Home, Sweet Home. 11 Enter the taller 
Dorothy, and West Wind. Children rush to 
meet Dorothy, holding up the key. The music 
stops, but bells still ring, while Dorothy takes 
the key, goes to the box, and unlocks it, followed 
gleefully by Brownies. Sunshine Fairies emerge 
from the box, assisted, if necessary, by West 
Wind, the Old Woman, and Dorothy. The 
fairies skip about delightedly ; then, seeing Dis- 
mal Dumps and the Bugaboo Man, start to chase 
them both. Dismal Dumps and Bugaboo Man 
run around in evident terror, trying to escape. 
At last both jump into the box. Brownies in- 
stantly slam down the lid, and sit on it. Bells 
ring out more loudly for a minute or two, then 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 173 

subside as music begins. Chorus of Brownies, 
children, and Sunshi?ie Fairies, all but Brownies 
dancing around Dorothy and West Wind; 
tune, " Marching through Georgia"^) 

Welcome home, our playmate dear, this happy festal day ! 
O, kind the West Wind's care of you while you were far away. 
But now we have you with us, and we hope you've come to stay, 
For Sunshine rules Bonnydingle ! 
Hurrah ! hurrah ! the merry bells do ring, 
Hurrah ! hurrah ! our voices gladly sing ; 
Nevermore shall frowns and tears their sorrow to you bring 
For Sunshine rules Bonnydingle ! 

(Bells ring loudly again during the refrain, which 
is repeated. Throughout the song, Brownies wave 
caps, arms, and feet as enthusiastically as possi- 
ble, without leaving their post on the Sunshine- 
Box.) 

(Enter Queen from her Cosey Corner. Bells and 
music ceased) 

Queen (hissing Dorothy). Welcome home, Doro- 
thy dear ! How you have grown ! So our plan was 
a success. But suppose we listen to Fairy Bright- 
Thought again. She has still another message for us. 
(All are quiet. Soft music for two or three minutes. 
Enter Fairy Bright-Thought, who whispers in the 
ear of the Queen, as before. Music stops?) My 
chief counsellor advises a strange thing. She says, 
" Open the box." Will you do it ? 



174 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

{The Brownies get down from their perch, looking 
puzzled. The children slowly approach the box.*) 

Roy. But won't the Bugaboo Man 

Avis. And won't Dismal Dumps 



Dorothy. Never fear. What harm can they do 
us now ? Poor old Bugaboo Man and poor old 
Dismal Dumps ! I'm sorry for them. It was when I 
was little that I was so afraid of them. Besides, as we 
all know, whatever advice comes from the Cosey 
Corner must be safe to follow. Come, I'm going to 
open the box ! 

(Frank and Carol help her to raise the lid. 
Out come Dismal Dumps and the Bugaboo 
Man, but completely transformed, in new and glit- 
tering costumes, and with smiling faces. Both 
come forward.} 

Dismal Dumps. I found, when I once got into the 
Sunshine Box, that I couldn't be dismal any longer ! 

Bugaboo Man. And / found that it isn't half so 
much fun to frighten children as it is to amuse them ! 

Both. So we are both going to be sunshine people 
ourselves, like all good Juniors. 

Dorothy {shaking hands with them). I'm so glad ! 
Now we'll all be happy ever after. 

{Bells begin ringing again. Music. March of all 
the characters, and final tableau.) 

CURTAIN. 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 175 

Variation of "The Bells of Bonnydingle m 

for Christmas. 

To adapt the play to Christmas, where there are 
gifts to be distributed, omit the final march, and, in- 
stead, add the following bit of dialogue after Dorothy 
speaks for the last time : 

Bugaboo Man. And to prove that we really wish 
to be Sunshine people 

Dismal Dumps. We will look into that wonderful 
treasure-box again just now, — for it's Merry Christ- 
mas, — and see if we can't find something to make 
these good people all the happier. 

Both. We can, and we will \ {Going to the box, 
they reach in and take out present after present, 
handed up to them by two persons concealed, one be- 
hind the box, and one in it. The presents are marked 
with the names of those for whom they are intended, 
and as fast as taken out by the transformed Dismal 
Dumps and Bugaboo Man, who read the names 
aloud, they are handed to Dorothy and the other chil- 
dren, who in turn pass them to the Brownies, Fairy 
Bright-Thought, and the Sunshine Fairies, to distrib- 
ute among the audience.} 



176 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

A Game for a Harvest Social. 

This game was tried and proved great fun at a 
social given in the early autumn, though of course 
it can be played at any time: 

The Juniors sit in a circle around the room. One 
of them begins by saying, "When my aunt came to 
see me, she brought me an apple." The next one 
says, "My aunt brought me an apple and a banana." 
The next one, "My aunt brought me an apple, a 
banana, and some cherries." And so on, each re- 
peating the fruits already named and adding a new 
one beginning as nearly as possible with the next 
letter of the alphabet. Every time a player leaves 
out a fruit that has been named, or fails to add a 
new one, he drops out of the game, until only one 
is left, who is the winner. 

With dates, figs, grapes, lemons or limes, melons, 
oranges, peaches, pears or plums, quinces, rasp- 
berries, strawberries, tamarinds or tangerines, this 
remarkable fruit-basket could easily stretch so as to 
hold from a dozen to twenty kinds of fruit before 
the list gives out. 

A Christmas Snow-Shovelling. 

A novel way for the Juniors to give a toy dona- 
tion to poor children at Christmas time is to have a 
snow-pile. 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 177 

Let the gifts be brought in advance, wrapped in 
white paper. They can then be inspected as far as 
necessary by the older helpers, in order to label each 
gift with the name of the one for whom it seems 
most suitable. If unwrapped for this purpose, the 
rewrapping should always be in white paper. Just 
before the exercises, the bundles should be gathered 
into a great white heap like a snow-pile on the cen- 
tre of the platform. After the little guests come, 
at the appropriate time in the exercises let two Junior 
boys with small snow-shovels dig away the bundles 
and pass them to other Juniors, who in turn distrib- 
ute them to those whose names they bear. 

In planning for an occasion of this kind, besides 
the usual explanation and announcement, a letter 
might to advantage be delivered to each Junior in 
the society, so as to include any who were absent 
at the time of announcement. The letter could 
read like this: 

"Dear Junior: Can you spare a toy 
To give to some poor girl or boy 
Who has not much of childhood's joy? 

" Wrap up your gift in paper white, 
Bring it before next Tuesday night, 
And you will help to give delight." 

(Signed by the Junior superintendent or committee.) 



178 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

A Trip Around the World. 

The idea for this Junior social, given by Mary 
Starck in the Christian Endeavor World, will bear 
repeating. Place small tables around the room in 
the same positions in regard to one another as the 
best-known countries of the world as shown on a 
map. On each table arrange one or more articles 
suggesting the country represented. 

For Japan, a fan and two Japanese dolls were 
used; for France, trimmed hats and a doll in Paris 
costume; for Germany, music by German com- 
posers; for Mexico, a toy sombrero. Other sugges- 
tions would be, for Switzerland, a toy Swiss cottage; 
for Ireland, shamrocks and a bit of green ribbon; 
for Scotland, a doll dressed in Tarn O'Shanter cap 
and kilts of Scotch plaid, or a bunch of heather; 
for China, a paper kite of some ingenious design, and 
a pair of chop-sticks. Other countries might be 
represented by story-books or pictures. 

The children enjoy going from one table to an- 
other and trying to guess which country each repre- 
sents. They are to write their guesses on cards, 
and to those who do best may be given some little 
reward. Serve refreshments at the table draped 
with the American flag, after the trip abroad is 
concluded. 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 179 

Santa Claus in Trouble. 

This was an enterprise led by an Intermediate 
society, but the Juniors and many of the grown-up 
Endeavorers were present and took active part in 
the fun. 

It was a candy-pull, held several days before 
Christmas. Invitations were of red paper rolled 
tightly and wound diagonally with white, to repre- 
sent sticks of candy. On opening these, one saw 
the message, neatly typewritten: 

Santa Claus finds he's 'way behind 

In pulling his candy sticks. 
Please come at seven next Monday night 

And help him out of his fix. 

At the appointed time, a Junior dressed as Santa 
opened the door to the guests and ushered them to 
the scene of chief interest, — the church kitchen. 
In arranging partners for the pulling, Santa's sack 
was brought into use. Each one present put in 
his hand and drew out a bit of red or green paper 
cut in some amusing and appropriate shape. There 
were stockings, candles, stars, Yule logs, Christmas 
trees, and other designs, but no more than two of 
any one shape. The persons that held the same- 
shaped articles were to work together. 

Not all the candy was of the "pulled" variety. 
Besides the molasses candy, maple-sugar balls of 



180 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

the true Ohio kind, creamy and delicious; fudge 
and other chocolate candy; white-sugar varieties, 
including cream peppermints, cream almonds, lemon, 
and cocoanut, — all these were made, each pair of 
workers being assisted by a special " director " 
chosen for skill in the making of the particular kind 
attempted. 

While the candy cooled, games were played, in- 
cluding " filling the Christmas stocking" and 
"Santa Claus's trip." The first was a drawing 
contest. Each player was supplied with pencil and 
paper and told to draw a picture of a Christmas 
stocking filled to overflowing with presents, the 
most desirable presents (in the opinion of the artist) 
being the ones sticking out at the top. The draw- 
ings were then collected and compared by judges, 
and a small prize was awarded for the best. 

The livelier game which followed was played 
much like " stage-coach." All the players except 
one sat in a circle, and each was given the name of 
some article supposed to be in Santa's pack. The 
one left standing began telling a story describing 
Santa's trip with pack and reindeer and the many 
adventures on the way. Whenever an article was 
mentioned whose name had been given to any 
player, that player had to jump up instantly and 
turn around three times. At every mention of 
the name " Santa Claus" all changed seats, 
and in the scramble the one left standing had 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 181 

to go on with the story from where the former one 
left off. 

To each one present, on leaving, was given a small 
netting stocking filled with assorted samples of the 
candy made, which samples proved the best pos- 
sible advertisement for the candy-sale held by the 
Juniors two evenings later, at which the results of 
the evening's work were sold in attractive bags and 
boxes, in time to add the finishing touch to many 
family celebrations of the holiday. By this method 
a good sum was realized for the society's treasury. 

A Gypsy Fete. 

This is distinctly a summer "good time/' to be 
enjoyed out-of-doors. Light the lawn with Japa- 
nese lanterns, unless electric lights are available. 
Let the Juniors come dressed as gypsies, the girls 
in bright red or yellow with plenty of colored beads, 
and the boys without collars and with shirts turned 
in at the neck. Borrow some children's express- 
wagons, for the occasion, decorate them with bright- 
colored crape paper, and from these serve suitable 
refreshments, — ice-cream cones, pop-corn balls, 
peanuts, etc. 

Children of Intermediate age once gave a social 
of this kind and earned a nice little sum for an ice 
and milk fund for city babies. 

The "gypsy drill' ' by the Juniors, described in 



182 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

detail in " Enjoyable Entertainments," would add 
decidedly to the evening's pleasure. 

A " Wooden-Shoe" Christmas Social. 

This gives the Juniors an imaginary trip to Hol- 
land and Belgium. It would be desirable to include 
a short stereopticon talk explaining many of the odd 
and interesting things to be seen in those countries, 
especially their pretty Christmas customs. True 
stories and pictures of Queen Wilhelmina, both 
when she was a little girl and up to the present day, 
will be of interest. If the slides cannot be had, 
another way is to decorate the hall with little wind- 
mills, peasant figures, and landscapes cut from the 
well-known Dutch crape paper and stiffened with 
cardboard. Interspersed with cotton sprinkled with 
diamond-dust, tinsel, and small silver bells, these 
will keep the children entertained until all have ar- 
rived. Stories may then be told, illustrated partly 
by the decorations mentioned, partly by pictures 
which may be passed around. Especially tell the 
legend of St. Nicholas, and explain how the children 
of Holland, Belgium, and some other lands have for 
many years set out their wooden shoes on the eve 
of his feast and found them in the morning filled 
with presents. 

This leads the way to the distribution of simple 
gifts. The children sit on the floor in a circle and 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 183 

follow the foreign custom of shouting to St. Nicholas 
to come and visit them. At their call, "Come, 
Santa Claus!" the regulation jolly Santa appears 
with his pack on his back, from which he takes a 
gift for each, bestowing it with a few words of 
friendly advice containing good sense as well as fun. 
Or, instead of this method, have a huge Dutch 
wooden shoe containing the presents, screened until 
the right time and revealed by drawing a curtain. 

Games may include a general hunt for a little 
Dutch doll hidden somewhere in the room. One 
way to conduct this hunt would be for the piano to 
play a lively air, softly at first, then growing alter- 
nately loud and soft as the "hunters" approach or 
wander away from the object of their search. One 
or more may be allowed to hunt at a time, and to 
the finder may be awarded the doll. Following the 
games, a lunch of sandwiches made of brown bread 
and Dutch cheese may be served. 

I recall that on one occasion a group of children of 
Intermediate age varied this programme and planned 
the evening very largely themselves, with a special 
object in view. Having learned of the suffering of 
the Belgian children at the time of the great war, 
and of the efforts to raise funds for their relief, they 
were eager to do something to help keep the little 
wooden shoes from being empty, or the owners of 
the shoes hungry, on Christmas Day. So they 
distributed among their friends little envelopes 



184 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

bearing the design of a wooden shoe on the outside, 
and the words "Help fill the wooden shoe," with a 
slip of paper inside explaining more in detail. Then 
they held an entertainment and "wooden-shoe so- 
cial' ' at which a bright programme was rendered and 
the contents of all the envelopes were collected and 
forwarded to the Belgian Relief Fund. 

A Bell Social. 

A Junior society wishing to help raise money to 
pay for a new bell for the church belfry gave a "bell 
social" and playlet on New Year's eve. Tickets 
were sold in advance, and were little bell-shaped 
cards with the evening's attractions printed on them. 
The hall was gay with many colored bells cut by the 
Juniors out of tissue-paper and festooned in long 
lines around the sides of the room, the different 
colors alternating. 

The first part of the evening was occupied by the 
Juniors' animated performance of "The Bells of 
Bonnydingle," given elsewhere in this book. After 
that, two games were played. One of them, "New 
Year's resolutions," played with paper and pencil 
by the older ones present, was a variation of the 
game of "consequences." Each wrote the words 
"Last New Year's Day I resolved to — " then 
folded the paper over and passed it to the next 
player. Each then wrote something that would 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 185 

fill out the sentence. All sorts of " resolutions/' 
sensible and absurd, were thus recorded. Then, 
after again folding and passing the paper on, each 
wrote what the result was, of course without having 
seen what went before. The papers were then 
collected, unfolded, and read, to the amusement 
of all. 

The other game, "bell blind man," was keenly 
enjoyed by the smaller folk. A long, pointed paper 
cap with tiny metal bells sewed on it was placed on 
the head of one of the players, and pulled well down 
over his eyes. The bells, of course, jingled as he 
moved. The other players were each given seven 
steps to get out of the blind man's way. At the 
seventh step each had to stop just where he hap- 
pened to be. He could wriggle and duck, but must 
not step, and no one spoke but the blind man for 
fear of being recognized by his voice. Whenever 
a player was caught, if the blind man succeeded in 
three trials in guessing who his captive was, the 
latter had to take his place. 

The guests were called into the refreshment-room 
by the ringing of a dinner-bell, and on leaving 
each was decorated with a tiny bell which tinkled 
merrily all the way homeward and was kept as a 
souvenir. 



186 GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 

A Pop-Corn Social. 

When the Juniors wish to give a Christmas tree 
to children less fortunate, they will enjoy preparing 
its decorations themselves at a social to be held in 
advance. 

Several corn-poppers should be provided, plenty 
of pop-corn, some sugar or molasses, strong thread, 
and needles. If the social can be held where there 
is an open fireplace, so much the better. After the 
corn has been popped with as few mishaps as pos- 
sible, under the supervision of an expert at this kind 
of cookery, the children may be divided into two 
sides and have a contest, as follows: 

Each side has a color, and the players on each side 
are decorated with ribbon bows or sleeve-bands of 
its color. Each player then chooses a partner, or 
has a partner assigned to him, always from the same 
side as himself. A thread with a needle on each end 
is given to each pair of partners. All begin at a 
signal threading the pop-corn as quickly as possible. 
At the ringing of a bell all stop threading. Then 
the members of each side tie their strings of pop-corn 
together at the point where the corn ends. The side 
whose string is longest wins the contest. 

Pop-corn balls may be made also to hang on the 
tree. Pretty baskets may be fashioned out of berry- 
boxes saved by the Juniors during the berry season 
and afterwards painted or stained green, supplied 



GOOD TIMES WITH THE JUNIORS 187 

with bright ribbon handles woven into the open 
spaces and tied or sewed securely. (The kind of 
berry-box having a narrow tin rim is the prettiest 
and strongest, but others will do.) Lined with white 
tissue-paper and filled with home-made candies, a 
little fruit, or some nuts, with a plentiful sprinkling 
of the pop-corn to fill up the chinks, and decked with 
sprays of holly, these little Christmas baskets are 
attractive for the tree, or to give in other ways. 
" Giant holly-berries " made of the smallest toys 
wrapped in cotton and then in red tissue-paper to 
look like huge red berries will contrast with the 
white pop-corn in its festooned chains, balls, and 
other forms, and are well calculated to please the 
small recipients. No other tree-decorations are 
needed, not even candles if the tree festival is to 
be held in the daytime ; and the gifts themselves 
can be tied on the tree or heaped around it, according 
to size, when the proper time comes. 



Index of Games 

A Bell Social 184 

A Christmas Snow-Shovelling 176 

A Game for a Harvest Social 176 

A Gypsy Fete 181 

A Pop-corn Social 186 

A Trip around the World 178 

A "Wooden-Shoe" Christmas Social 182 

Accidental High Art 143 

Alphabetical Question Game 78 

Apple and Horseshoe 54 

Apple-Shooting 54 

Bean-stalk Raid 116 

Bird Guessing 102 

Burying the Hatchet 73 

Butterfly Pansy Hunt 106 

Cherry-Tree Blind Man's Buff 73 

Constellations 143 

Croquet Bowling 117 

Curlycue Drawing-Contest 65 

Excuse-Hunt 64 

Fairy Bowling 140 

Flying Stars 142 

Four-Leaf- Clover-Hunt 55 

Freak Show 117 

Grommet-Pitching 20 

Juniors' Message to All 80 

Letter Tag . . . . • 79 

Little Queen Fluff 125 

189 



190 INDEX OF GAMES 

Mountain-Climb 93 

Mountain Quiz 94 

Mr. Daruma 46 

Mr. Woodenhead 40 

My Lady's Slipper 139 

Orange Croquet 39 

Pink Violets 20 

Polly Pitcher Bean-bag 66 

Quiet Go-lol-uf 120 

Rainbow Hunt 97 

Red and White Roses 42 

Red-Line Hunt 19 

Red-Line Tag 19 

Santa Claus in Trouble 179 

Slipper Hunt 140 

Slipper Obstacle-Race 139 

Table Golf with Pins and Peas 121 

Ukibara 46 

Washington Quiz 74 

Wishes and Compliments 55 

Wishes and Results 56 

Word-Building 78 




J U N I O 
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Special attention has been given to the sections for 
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"Junior Carols" contains 157 hymns, besides 
some special exercises, responsive readings, etc. It 
is daintily bound in blue cloth, and sells in quanti- 
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copy. Sample copy, postpaid, 30 cents. "Words 
Only Edition," by express at purchasers expense, 
10 cents a copy. 

SSnitefc Society of Christian ©ntreatoor, 

Christian Endeavor House, 

Mt. Vernon and Hancock Streets, Boston 

405 Association Bldg._, Chicago 



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The Junior Manual. A Handbook for Junior Workers. 
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United Society of Christian Endeavor 

BOSTON and CHICAGO 



VM^JE CONGRESS 



020 237 509 1 



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